Sheffield United chief's verdict on "difficult" Wigan win and Latics' offside goal

United went back five points clear of third-placed Blackburn Rovers as they saw off struggling Wigan Athletic 2-1 at the DW Stadium, thanks to goals in either half from John Egan and skipper Billy Sharp.

Nathan Broadhead pulled one back for Wigan, who also felt they should have had a penalty when George Baldock appeared to handle a well-struck shot almost on the line. But United stood firm to cut the gap to leaders Burnley to three points, and consolidate their promotion hopes further going into Christmas.

Heckingbottom was not happy with either the officiating or his side's defending for Broadhead's goal, with the Wigan man offside when the cross came in, and said: "At 2-0 up, I thought we were cruising. And then we made a couple of errors which lead to a goal which shouldn't be a goal.

"But we look at ourselves. We made a poor couple of errors and it makes it difficult when the home team throw everything at you. To be fair a couple of lads redeem themselves and make a couple of big tackles and we managed to see the game out.

"Our way to goal in the first half was high regains and good one v one moments, we should have been further ahead at half time and it could have been more comfortable but then we had to dig in. We let ourselves down in a moment and then had to stand strong with Wigan throwing everything at us."

On the offside goal, a replay of which was shown on the big screen inside the stadium, Heckingbottom said: "I was moaning about the one before that was offside, so the officials had a bad five minutes.

"It shouldn't have got on the screen, that's tough for the linesman then after that but we focus on us. Other people have to do their jobs but we're not happy with it from our point of view. When we'd put ourselves in a really strong position."