This factor means Wigan Athletic can view Birmingham City defeat with greater pride: View | OneFootball

Wigan Athletic demonstrated their fighting spirit against Birmingham City

Wigan Athletic haven't made a strong start to the League One campaign, and Saturday's stoppage-time defeat to Birmingham City marked the third loss in four league games for the Latics.

After beating Crawley Town a week prior to their St Andrew's trip, Shaun Maloney's men may have been hopeful of a more successful afternoon in the West Midlands, but it wasn't to be.

The prolific Alfie May put the Blues in front on the 18th minute mark, but Wigan's dangerman Thelo Aasgaard drew his side level midway through the second half.

However, Blues debutant Scott Wright announced himself to the St Andrew's faithful in dramatic circumstances as he scored a 91st minute winner.

While Maloney and co will have been heartbroken to lose the game so late on, the Latics can feel proud of their performance against Birmingham, due to the fact that full-back Steven Sessegnon went off injured in the 76th minute, after Maloney had used up all of his substitutions.

Wigan can be proud of Birmingham performance

Tasting defeat is never an ideal situation, especially since their loss to the Blues now leaves the Greater Manchester outfit fourth from bottom in League One heading into the international break.

However, Maloney's men should be proud of the performance they put in against Chris Davies' side, who many expect will be in with a shout of lifting the third tier title come May.

Furthermore, the Blues have already stamped their authority on League One, and are one of just three unbeaten sides in the division, along with newly promoted duo Stockport County and Wrexham.

The Latics initially showed their resistance by dragging themselves level away from home against tough opposition, while they further demonstrated their grit and determination by holding onto the 1-1 scoreline for a 15-minute spell despite playing with just 10 men once Sessegnon was forced to leave the action.

Despite the fact that results have not gone the Latics' way this term, broadly speaking, the fighting spirit instilled in the squad by Maloney is clear to see and could be a sign that the best is yet to come for the Brick Community Stadium outfit.

How Maloney will look to utilise the international break

Due to international call-ups, including the inclusion of Baba Adeeko in the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad, Wigan's clash with Stevenage, which was set to take place on Saturday afternoon, has been postponed.

This gives Latics boss Maloney a two-week period to go back to the drawing board, and assess his team's performances, which have so far mustered just three points from an available 12.

Furthermore, the Greater Manchester outfit have faced problems in front of goal so far this campaign as they have scored just two goals in four games, while Aasgaard is the only Latics player to have found himself on the scoresheet in League One.

This is an issue which Maloney will clearly attempt to rectify before his side visit Bristol Rovers on Saturday 14th September, while newly signed forwards Dale Taylor and Maleace Asamoah will be looking to make a strong impression during upcoming training sessions.

The Latics will have to be on their best form in order to overcome a Gas side who have won both of their opening home games in League One this season, but if the Latics can reignite the fighting spirit they established at St Andrew's, then Maloney's men could be walking away from the West Country with all three points.