Lead extends to 15 points

Last updated : 03 March 2003 By Paul Farrington
The 3-1 success at the JJB Stadium, coupled with Crewe's defeat to Peterborough, sent Latics soaring 15 points clear at the top of the table.

Manager Paul Jewell has long believed 92 points would be enough to secure promotion, and his side are just 13 short of that target with another 12 matches to play.

But Jewell still won't hear any talk of promotion and his full concentration is on tomorrow's tasty looking home clash against Tranmere.

Jewell said: "We let everyone else do the talking and our aim is to just try and win as many games as we can.

"Until we are there, we are not going to take our foot off the gas."

Latics are now on 79 points, Crewe have 64, while Cardiff's 1-1 draw at Stockport moved them on to 63.

Bar a Devon Loch-style fall, Latics now seem certain to be playing in Division One for the first time in their history next term.

Goals from Gary Teale, Tony Dinning and an Andy Liddell penalty saw off Chesterfield's challenge, with the Spireites sole response being a penalty from David Reeves.

Jewell labelled the first half display as "excellent" and while the second half didn't meet the same standard, he felt the win was well deserved.

He said: "It was an excellent first half performance, while after the interval we weren't as fluid and had to dig deep.

"They gave us a bit of a fright when they scored their penalty but overall, we thoroughly deserved the victory.

"Some of our passing and movement was excellent and while we got a sloppy later on, you can't dominate matches for the whole 90 minutes.

"We set high standards here and I can't be too critical after 24 wins in the league."

Jewell made two substitutions in the second half, replacing Teale and Tony Dinning with Lee McCulloch and Paul Mitchell.

But he stressed both had been tactical and that he would have a fully fit squad to chose from against Tranmere.

Jewell said: "In the second half we weren't getting the ball to Teale as much, and he wasn't having an influence on the game.

"I took him off and put Lee on, and to be fair, Lee was fortunate to be fit after what happened to him at Crewe.

"Ideally I didn't want to bring on, but I felt we needed to shore things up."

Looking ahead to tomorrow's game, Jewell said: "It should be a good atmosphere.

"Tranmere won on Saturday and are on a roll at the moment.

"It is something to look forward to."

Article from the Wigan Evening Post.