Wigan Athletic 2 - Wycombe 1, from The JJB Stadium

LAWRIE Sanchez slammed referee Steve Baines as Wanderers lost 2-1 at promotion favourites Wigan on Saturday.

The Wycombe boss was furious the Latics still had 11 men on the field when they snatched the winner with four minutes left.

He believed that Wigan's Simon Haworth should have been sent off by then. He was furious that Haworth escaped without a booking when he punched in a disallowed Wigan goal at the start of the second half and he was livid when the big striker received just a yellow card for a crunching late challenge on Chris Vinnicombe, which he said was worth a red card on its own.

Sanchez said: "We should have been playing against ten and if we had been we wouldn't have lost. The referee was very poor."

The match summed up Wanderers' miserable luck at the JJB Stadium. They have now produced three excellent performances there, but lost each time.

After an opening ten minutes, during which they went a goal down and were ripped apart, Wanderers fought their way back and gave as good as they got before substitute Neil Roberts broke their hearts with a mishit winner.

Wanderers made changes going into the game. Chris Vinnicombe returned at left back after six weeks out with ligament trouble to face former Manchester United and Newcastle winger Keith Gillespie.

Michael Simpson also returned to midfield in place of Dannie Bulman but within four minutes Wanderers were behind.

Carl Bradshaw swung over a right wing cross and the impressive Andy Liddell headed it into the path of Haworth who took advantage of sloppy marking to crash in the opener.

But after a panic stricken opening, Wanderers regained their poise and should have levelled on 19 minutes.

Jermaine McSporran intercepted a pass on the half way line and as he advanced to the edge of the box he slipped the ball left to Sam Parkin. The 19-year-old on loan from Chelsea should have equalised, but he took an extra touch and keeper Roy Carroll saved with his legs.

Wanderers came out for the second half without the injured McSporran, who was replaced by young Danny Senda, and within 23 seconds the ball was in the back of the Wanderers net again.

Fortunately the ref saw Haworth's handball and although he chalked the goal off he didn't take any action against the culprit.

Moments later Wigan should have doubled their lead. Liddell finished a magnificent run with a blistering shot which Taylor parried into the path of Stefan Bidstrup who softly sidefooted his effort back at the grateful glovesman.

Taylor was back in action seconds later to clutch a long-range volley from Liddell as Wigan began the second half like a house on fire.

But Wanderers equalised with their first attack of the half on 49 minutes. Parkin squeezed the ball in from wide on the right as Wigan's defence and goalkeeper stood rooted to the spot.

And Wycombe should have taken the lead minutes later when Senda outpaced the Latics defence in a race to meet Jamie Bates' long punt. But with just the keeper to beat Senda's touch was too heavy and the chance was gone.

Chances were now coming at either end. Parkin, whose confidence had been boosted by his goal, cleverly headed back to Keith Ryan but the ball would not come down for the skipper and he volleyed over the top.

At the other end, Haworth headed a good chance over the bar from Darren Sheridan's free kick before all hell broke loose.

Haworth hammered into Vinnicombe high and late with a vicious tackle which saw players from both sides squaring up to each other.

Haworth escaped with a yellow card and moments later boss Bruce Rioch substituted him before he could get into any more trouble.

Ironically it was his replacement Neil Roberts who fluked the winner. Wanderers, were caught napping at a Bradshaw cross for the second time.

The provider of Wigan's first goal crossed deep to the back post to the unmarked Roberts who sliced his own intended cross over Taylor and underneath his crossbar.

It could have been worse in the final minute when Wigan had the ball in the net again only for Baines to chalk it off claiming that Ian Kilford had kicked the ball out of the keeper's grasp after he appeared to spill Liddell's effort.