Wigan Athletic 1-0 Northampton Town

Michael Jacobs popped up with the only goal as Wigan Athletic beat Northampton Town to move up to second place in League One.

Jacobs, who started his career with the Cobblers, rifled home a beauty from 30 yards just after half-time to settle a game that the home side should have won more comfortably.

Despite dominating for the majority, Wigan could not find further goals, and were almost made to pay by a former player of their own.

However, centre-back Leon Barnett, who joined the Cobblers over the summer, saw his close-range effort superbly saved by Jamie Jones in the Wigan goal.

Sam Morsy came close to doubling the lead in stoppage-time but, after rounding the goalkeeper, his shot hit the far post and rolled across the goal-line before being cleared.

Gavin Massey also came close to scoring for Wigan, who have now won three matches without conceding a goal since suffering their only league defeat so far at table-topping Shrewsbury earlier this month.

Match report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Wigan

• 23Jones
• 2Byrne
• 22Dunkley
• 33Burn
• 26James
• 5MorsyBooked at 44mins
• 8Evans
• 17JacobsBooked at 58mins
• 11MasseySubstituted forColcloughat 75'minutes
• 18RobertsSubstituted forPowerat 84'minutes
• 9GriggSubstituted forToneyat 74'minutes

Substitutes

• 3Elder
• 4Perkins
• 6Power
• 10Toney
• 14Bruce
• 27Colclough
• 31Sarkic

Northampton

• 13Ingram
• 2Moloney
• 5Barnett
• 6Taylor
• 3Buchanan
• 26Poole
• 11Powell
• 4KasimSubstituted forLongat 62'minutes
• 29Grimes
• 27HanleySubstituted forBowditchat 75'minutesBooked at 78mins
• 9RichardsSubstituted forRevellat 68'minutes

Substitutes

• 1Cornell
• 7Waters
• 8Foley
• 10Revell
• 15Bowditch
• 16Pierre
• 19Long

Referee:

Anthony Backhouse

Attendance:

7,777

Match Stats

Home TeamWiganAway TeamNorthampton

Possession

Home49%

Away51%

Shots

Home9

Away6

Shots on Target

Home3

Away2

Corners

Home8

Away3

Fouls

Home10

Away20

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Northampton Town 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Northampton Town 0.

Posted at 90'+4'

Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Ash Taylor.

Posted at 90'+4'

Sam Morsy (Wigan Athletic) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Posted at 90'+2'

Lee Evans (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Regan Poole (Northampton Town).

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt missed. Daniel Powell (Northampton Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high following a set piece situation.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Sam Morsy (Wigan Athletic).

Posted at 90'+1'

Matt Grimes (Northampton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'

Attempt saved. Ivan Toney (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Posted at 88'

Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Regan Poole.

Posted at 87'

Attempt missed. Lee Evans (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.

Posted at 87'

Michael Jacobs (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Regan Poole (Northampton Town).

Posted at 85'

Hand ball by Alex Revell (Northampton Town).

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Max Power replaces Gary Roberts.

Posted at 82'

Corner, Northampton Town. Conceded by Dan Burn.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Cheyenne Dunkley (Wigan Athletic).

Posted at 81'

Daniel Powell (Northampton Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 80'

Ryan Colclough (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 80'

Foul by Dean Bowditch (Northampton Town).

Booking

Posted at 78'

Dean Bowditch (Northampton Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 78'

Lee Evans (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Dean Bowditch (Northampton Town).

Substitution

Posted at 75'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Ryan Colclough replaces Gavin Massey.

Substitution

Posted at 75'

Substitution, Northampton Town. Dean Bowditch replaces Raheem Hanley.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Ivan Toney replaces William Grigg.

Posted at 74'

Attempt missed. Chris Long (Northampton Town) header from the centre of the box misses to the right.

Posted at 74'

Attempt saved. Leon Barnett (Northampton Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 73'

Corner, Northampton Town. Conceded by Cheyenne Dunkley.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Michael Jacobs (Wigan Athletic).

Posted at 70'

Brendon Moloney (Northampton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 70'

Lee Evans (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Alex Revell (Northampton Town).

Substitution

Posted at 68'

Substitution, Northampton Town. Alex Revell replaces Marc Richards.

Posted at 68'

Gavin Massey (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Raheem Hanley (Northampton Town).

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Dan Burn (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 66'

Attempt blocked. Gary Roberts (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 65'

Lee Evans (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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