Wigan boss Shaun Maloney was the happier of the two managers as his side earned a point in a dour lunchtime 0-0 stalemate at Lincoln.
Chances were at a premium, with Latics midfielder Thelo Aasgard going closest with a second-half header that hit a post.
But it was a fourth away point and second clean sheet in two matches for Wigan, with Maloney pleased to come away with a share of the spoils.
“The performance in large parts was good, if anything I’d like it a bit quicker, but I have to credit our opponents, they made it very hard for us,” said Maloney.
“Defensively they are really good and we found it hard to break through them.
“Their manager’s done a good job and they’re difficult to beat, and they’re one of the best teams in the league at set-pieces and very good at the high press.
“We kept trying to create and win the game, but we had to deal with a lot of diagonal balls and set plays near the end and it was tough.
“Our full-backs and wingers deserve a lot of credit today for how they defended.”
Apart from Aasgard’s chance, Wigan loanee Dion Rankine also showed great trickery in the City box at the end of the first half, beating three players before having his powerful shot blocked.
City only improved when Jack Moylan came off the bench and he twice tested Sam Tickle in the Wigan goal, before going close in added-on time, but the visiting stopper was again equal to his effort as he secured his team a point.
Lincoln boss Michael Skubala was left to rue a lack of cutting edge up front as they failed to break down a resolute Latics side.
“We are disappointed not to get three points – we had shots, had moments in their box, but we were lacking that final ball,” he admitted.
“It was a game of two halves for us – we started slow, we didn’t get into our rhythm and we didn’t dominate them enough, they had the better of it. But then we were better in the second half, we were the ones trying to win it, trying to get the goal.
“Defensively we were solid, but there were moments in the first half where we were too passive. The quality wasn’t there.
“They’re a good club, got some really good players and we tried to attack late on in the game, but sometimes it’s not easy and we couldn’t go on and score the goal, which is the hardest part of the game.”
On starting debutant, Sheffield Wednesday loanee Bailey Cadamarteri, he added: “In moments he looked lively and quick and he’ll only get better.
“I thought he did his job well, but we’ve got to create more chances for our number nine.”
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