Wigan 2-2 Reading: Points shared at the DW Stadium

Wigan got out of jail with a 94th-minute equaliser to rescue a point.

The home side had been the better team in the first half and deservedly led at the break through Callum McManaman.

But the second half was completely the opposite, as Reading bossed the match.

Two goals in the space of six minutes in the final quarter from Shaun Cummings and Sean Morrison gave the visitors a lead they merited.

But a stoppage-time goal from James McArthur spared Wigan’s blushes.

Reading could have been ahead with their first attack.

Pavel Pogrebnyak dispossessed Emmerson Boyce and found Ryan Edwards on the edge of the area.

His shot was low and well hit, but Scott Carson pulled off a fine save to his left.

Then, from Jordan Obita’s resulting corner, Nick Blackman hit the near post with a header from point-blank range.

With four players on debut it was always going to take Wigan time to get going, but they found their way into the game and took the lead after 27 minutes. A lovely ball from the back from Boyce found McManaman, whose initial shot was parried by Adam Federici.

The rebound fell to Martyn Waghorn, whose shot was half-blocked, the ball falling to McManaman 10 yards out.

This time the winger made no mistake, clipping the ball over Federici for the first goal of the campaign.

McManaman had been Wigan’s best player in the opening half-hour, and the goal merely added to his confidence.

Wigan were just about good value for their half-time advantage but the second period was all one-way traffic the other way.

Reading finally broke through after 71 minutes when Michael Hector found Cummings, who drilled in from 25 yards.

And, after Blackman hit a post with a curling effort, the Royals went in front with 13 minutes remaining.

A clever free-kick from Guthrie found Pearce unmarked at the far post, and he headed across for Morrison to nod the ball past Carson.

But credit Wigan for picking themselves up off the canvas, resulting in McArthur heading home past Federici.