Wigan’s hopes of avoiding the drop were boosted as Kieffer Moore’s first-half strike earned the beleaguered Championship outfit a 1-0 win over QPR at a rain-soaked DW Stadium.
Playing at home for the first time since last week’s announcement that they had entered administration, Latics went ahead in the 33rd minute when Moore rifled a shot past Joe Lumley having been played in by Sam Morsy.
Moore nearly added a second after the interval, while QPR’s closest attempt was an Ilias Chair shot saved in fine style by David Marshall.
But having entered administration, the club face a 12-point penalty – against which they are appealing – that will be applied this season if Paul Cook’s men finish outside the bottom three.
The threat of relegation remains considerable, but Cook and his players will not be lacking in belief following this seventh win in nine games as they bounced back from Saturday’s 3-0 loss at Brentford.
Meanwhile, Mark Warburton’s QPR, despite a fourth loss in five, are also eight points above the drop zone.
Wigan made a lively start, with Jamal Lowe’s strike bringing a stop out of Lumley in the fourth minute.
Moore then came close to doubling the advantage in the 51st minute as he fired narrowly wide, before Marshall made a superb stop around the hour mark to keep out Chair’s strike.
