Shaun Maloney says it is time that Wigan enjoyed another good FA Cup run following their 2-0 first-round win at Exeter.

In a match almost identical to the 2-0 win for Latics in League One just two weeks ago, Wigan won it with second-half goals from Thelo Aasgaard and Steven Sessegnon, despite Exeter dominating for long spells.

“It was a very good team performance,” Maloney said. “We changed it tactically in the second half. I didn’t think there were massive issues in the game, I just wanted to get our attacking players in the game more and in the end, it was an excellent performance.

“First half was very even, there wasn’t too much in it but at the same time, I didn’t feel we were really cutting through them when we had the ball.

“I felt we were a danger on the counter attack but I wanted more of the ball in the second half and once it got to 2-0, I was really happy with the way we saw out the game.

“This game meant a lot to us and it was a big win for us. We have a history in the cup. Everyone talks about 2013 but the following season, we made it to the semi-finals, lost on penalties, 2018 as a League One club, we beat a Pep (Guardiola) Man City team. Hopefully it’s our turn to make some memories but it is just one round.”

It was frustration for Exeter manager Gary Caldwell, though. His side have now lost eight of their last nine games and scored in only three of those matches.

“It’s really frustrating,” Caldwell said. “I thought we were better today than we were two weeks ago in terms of how we wanted to play and the chances we created.

“We created great opportunities to score, a brilliant opportunity second half for James (Scott) but didn’t score and the longer the game went on, they were always going to be a threat on the counter and we gifted them a goal. Then the game became really difficult.

“It is clear what is happening, it is clear what we need to improve on and it is hard work on the training ground and support for the players that will do that.

“It’s frustrating because when you lose games, confidence does get affected – that is only natural in football and in life, but the players have to stand up in those moments and keep believing in what we are doing, what was working before and keep doing that to get back into the game.

“I do agree that confidence is low at the minute, but we have to work hard on the training pitch to build that back up.”

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield expressed his relief after their 2-1 first-round FA Cup win at Bradford.

The Chairboys had been in control of the tie with a two-goal lead at half-time.

But the League Two side came back strongly after the break to make Wycombe battle hard for their win.

Bloomfield said: “We’re really pleased to be through because it was an uncomfortable afternoon, if I’m honest.

“I thought Bradford were fantastic in the work they did and the way they passed the ball. They created some good opportunities and I’ve got to be pleased with the way we defended our box.

“The amount of blocks we got in was fantastic. There’s loads to improve on in terms of our in-possession stuff but the majority of those boys have done five games in the last two weeks.

“I think it possibly showed. We looked a little bit leggy in the last half an hour so fair play to them for digging in and making sure we got the result.”

Killian Phillips, on loan from Crystal Palace, scored Wycombe’s opener before Sam Stubbs headed into his own net to extend the lead.

Bloomfield added: “KP had been due one because his performance levels have been really high recently. He’s been top for us with his energy, the way he gets us moving forward and the amount he puts into the game.”

Jamie Walker pulled one back for Bradford after 64 minutes as the home team piled on the pressure. Wycombe keeper Max Stryjek made saves from Walker, Andy Cook and Tyler Smith.

Bradford caretaker manager Mark Trueman said: “It was difficult because you’re going in at half-time 2-0 down thinking that we’ve not done a lot wrong.

“I felt the way we started the game was positive but obviously goals change games. We knew that we would always create chances and felt like we were always causing them a threat.

“We’re disappointed in the manner we’ve conceded the goals with individual errors. They happen with the threat that Wycombe have got.

“But I think we dominated for long periods in the second half and were a little bit unlucky not to get another goal.

“We knew if we scored quite early then it might give us a chance of forcing a draw at least. I’ve got to praise the players for their performance.

“They felt the second half was one of the better performances they’ve had all season. We’re disappointed but we can take a lot of positives from today.”

Bradford have been without a manager since Mark Hughes was sacked a month ago.

“The players have applied themselves in the right way,” added Trueman. “Yes, they could say they are a little unsettled but the performance levels didn’t really show that.”

Luke Williams heaped praise on his Notts County defenders as their importance was highlighted during their 3-2 win over Crawley in the FA Cup.

Danilo Orsi scored twice for the visitors but goals from Dan Crowley, David McGoldrick and substitute Macaulay Langstaff saw the Magpies progress to the second round for the first time since 2019.

“I thought Crawley were absolutely brilliant, they also deserved to be in the hat for the next round because both teams created enough chances to win the game,” said Williams.

“They made it very difficult for us but I was disappointed with the overall performance because I thought we lacked bite, and I don’t think we were convincing enough.

“We were sloppy at times with trying to smooth the game when the ball is in a compromised position, and you need to put your body there.

“I didn’t enjoy the performance overall, but I enjoyed the attitude of the players trying to win.

“The defenders defended the box, and if they didn’t it could have been a disaster because we missed too many tackles and then we are relying on three guys and the goalkeeper to get us out of trouble – and they did that.”

Crawley boss Scott Lindsey said: “Yeah, there are some real positives from the game. We got 90 minutes into some of the players and maybe in slightly different positions of what they are used to.

“I thought they really commanded in the way we played and we created a lot – Adam Campbell coming in for us was a massive plus and Ade Adeyemo coming onto the pitch was a real positive and involved in one of the actions we could have scored at the end.

“(There are) lots of positives but we’re really disappointed not to get something from the game.”

The Red Devils return to the Broadfield Stadium on Tuesday to take on Aston Villa’s Under-21 team in the EFL Trophy and Lindsey insists his side are relishing the challenge.

After three successive away matches, he added: “It feels like it’s been ages, of course we are looking forward to being back at home.

“We are really good at home and we get a lot of points at home, so it will be a nice change of jumping on the bus again.

“We are going to be picking a team that is going to win us the game for sure. It will be an opportunity for some of the lads who haven’t played as much, but these boys are more than capable of beating Aston Villa on Tuesday night.”

England boss Shaun Wane admitted he wanted to clinch a series whitewash over Tonga “so badly” following their 26-4 victory at the AMT Headingley.

The hosts were keen to secure a clean sweep from the start of the tie and crossed the whitewash twice in the first 26 minutes thanks to Ben Currie and Matty Ashton.

Both teams finished the half with a temporary man less after Matty Lees and Keon Koloamatangi were sent to the sin bin for a scuffle which caused a mass brawl.

England took no prisoners in the second half and cruised into an unassailable lead as Elliott Whitehead marked his final cap with a try before Harry Newman crossed for his first international score, but England’s defence was finally breached when Eliesa Katoa grabbed a consolation for the visitors.

Wane was proud of his players throughout the series and thinks they deserve full credit for a 3-0 success.

He said: “Unbelievable approach what we’ve done and how we’ve done it.

“I’ve nothing but praise for the players, the main mention is to them. I so badly wanted to win this game, no matter what. Two-nil didn’t matter to me, so to win in this fashion is great. I was desperate.

“You look at how the players have behaved and I think they’ve been outstanding and they’ll go from strength to strength.

“We stuck to our task well and they can play, athletic, big, they tested us, but the desire to defend and the detail was absolutely outstanding.

“We’ve got a really good team spirit, it’s very much like a club team. We spend time with each other and there is no club cliques and that’s been the most satisfying thing for me. We look like a club team and that’s why we’ve got the success today.”

Wane still has nightmares about England’s World Cup semi-final defeat last year but insists his side will now get stronger and did not think they would limit Tonga to just five tries in three games.

He added: “It will always haunt me, it doesn’t make it better, but how we played that game will always be there.

“I never thought we could manage that (five tries in three games). You look at their talent, that was a tough ask and you look at the physical side, big athletes, so to do that, the credit the players deserve is untrue.

“I’d love to do another three weeks. I’m back to walking my dogs next week and I’d love to do another three weeks. We’ve had a great time.

“When you score tries like that, it beggars belief when you hear stupid comments about us not being entertaining.”

Tonga boss Kristian Woolf handed full credit to England following the defeat but was proud of his team.

He said: “England were exceptionally good. Sometimes you have to sit back and applaud the tries they came up with, good tries and some good plays, they did a good job of scrambling.

“We didn’t deserve the scoreline if you look at the effort, I was proud.

“We showed up with a great attitude and I thought we showed that throughout the game and when the score looked like it could have blown out we hung in, we kept defending and trying to find points.

“We were disappointed to go down 3-0, there’s no doubt about that, and we’re certainly disappointed in the scoreline, but I’m not disappointed with the way our group have come over here. They have put their footy first and I’m very proud of them as a group of players.”

Eastleigh cruised into FA Cup second round with 5-1 thrashing of National League rivals Boreham Wood.

The hosts were in front after 17 minutes, with Nigel Atangana turning the ball in after Chris Maguire’s free-kick had been headed away.

However, it took just two minutes for Boreham Wood to level through Matt Robinson.

Maguire had the hosts back in front within four minutes, firing into an empty net from Jake Taylor’s low cross.

Maguire then turned provider when his free-kick was swept in by Ludwig Francillette seven minutes before the interval.

And Francilette scored again shortly after the interval to make it 4-1 to the home side.

The dismissal of Jayden Harris in the 71st minute for a second bookable offence failed to knock Eastleigh off their stride and Maguire wrapped up a fine win in stoppage time, smashing in from six yards out.

Ruari Paton’s leveller deep in stoppage time rescued a point as Queen’s Park snatched a 2-2 draw at Ayr.

Anton Dowds’s double had given the hosts a 2-0 lead in the first half to put them in control.

Alex Bannon pulled a goal back when he headed in Jack Spong’s corner after 58 minutes.

Then, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Paton finished from close range to level.

Partick Thistle cemented their place in the Scottish Championship top four with a 3-1 win at Arbroath.

Aidan Fitzpatrick’s brace and Brian Graham’s goal ensured the visitors remain third in the table.

Stevie Lawless had a penalty saved six minutes after the break and Harry Milne also had a goal disallowed.

Jermaine Hylton scored a consolation with three minutes left and the hosts stay in eighth.

Salford were denied an FA Cup upset in the 93rd minute as Emmanuel Fernandez’s header rescued a 2-2 draw for Sky Bet League One Peterborough United.

The centre-back was brought on as a late substitute and played up front as Posh chased a game they trailed thanks to two howlers from Nicholas Bilokapic.

The League Two side took the lead after just four minutes when the keeper passed the ball straight to Stephen Mallan from the edge of his box, who fired into an empty net.

They held the lead throughout the first half but Ricky-Jade Jones levelled for Posh just 25 seconds into the second half.

Joel Randall cut back a pass to Jones and it was a simple finish for the forward.

Posh then took control of the game but their efforts came grinding to a halt when, after 69 minutes, Bilokapic inexplicably let Zak Sturge’s backpass roll under his foot and trickle into the net.

Fernandez forced a replay in the dying seconds by heading in Ephron Mason-Clark’s cross from inside the six-yard box.

Rhys Murphy hit a brace to send Yeovil into the second round of FA Cup after a 3-2 win over Gateshead at Huish Park.

Murphy gave the Glovers an early lead before Jordan Stevens doubled the advantage.

Murphy added a second to put Yeovil in complete control but a pair of late goals from Marcus Dinanga kept them on their toes.

Yeovil started brightly and Murphy turned in a long ball over goalkeeper Archie Mair to put the National League South side in front just three minutes in.

The Somerset side increased their lead when Jordan Stevens slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

Murphy reacted quickest to make it three before Dinanga converted a penalty before also finding the net five minutes into stoppage time but Yeovil held on.

Innes Cameron scored his first league goal of the season as Kilmarnock edged out Motherwell 1-0 at Rugby Park.

The striker, who came on to replace injured skipper Kyle Vassell early in the match, blasted David Watson’s cutback high into the roof of the net to give Killie the lead just after half-time.

The home side spurned numerous chances to extend their lead but the one goal proved enough as they moved back up to fourth in the cinch Premiership with their third straight home win.

Motherwell also came close through Paul McGinn but they fell to their sixth defeat in seven games to remain just a point clear of the relegation play-off positions.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes made just one change from his side’s surprise defeat to St Johnstone in midweek, bringing in Robbie Deas for Liam Polworth.

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell, meanwhile, made four changes after his side’s loss to Aberdeen on Wednesday. Calum Butcher, Shane Blaney, Theo Bair and Mika Biereth all came into the starting line up.

It was the visitors who had the first chance of the match after two minutes as Dan Casey whipped in a dangerous inswinging cross but Theo Bair could only divert his header over the bar.

The hosts had their first opportunity in the 10th minute when Danny Armstrong sent a low right footed effort across goal and just wide of the far post.

Kilmarnock suffered an early blow when captain Vassell had to leave the field in the 16th minute, as Cameron was introduced.

In a scrappy first half which lacked quality, the next opportunity of note did not arrive until the 37th minute. Matty Kennedy whipped in an outstanding corner and Brad Lyons met it with a near-post header but Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly made an outstanding reflex save to force it wide.

Stuart Findlay saw his volley deflect over from the resulting corner as the hosts finally began to exert some pressure.

Armstrong then sent a free kick narrowly over the bar in the 44th minute before Mika Biereth hooked a volley over the bar for the visitors as the match finally kicked into life going into the break.

Killie had been the better side as the first half ended and they took this momentum into the second period, taking the lead within five minutes of the restart.

A flowing move down the left led to Marley Watkins having a shot that was spilled by Well stopper Kelly. The Scotland goalkeeper did block Watson’s rebound but the youngster showed good composure to square to Cameron who rifled the ball into the roof of the net from eight yards out.

Watkins had two golden chances in quick succession for the hosts, first dragging the ball wide when one-on-one with Kelly from a tight angle and then failing to get a clean contact when played through by the impressive Deas.

Motherwell then had their best chance of the match just before the hour mark as McGinn drove through a wide open Killie defence but he could only shoot tamely at Will Dennis when he found himself through on goal.

Kilmarnock still looked more likely to score next, however, with Cameron heading straight at Kelly and Deas lashing a half-volley wide.

Kilmarnock’s failure to add a second led to a few nerves for their supporters but the visitors failed to create any more chances in the closing stages as the Rugby Park side held on relatively comfortably.

Oliver Norwood’s penalty with the last kick of the game finally gave Sheffield United their first win of the Premier League season as they beat Wolves 2-1 at Bramall Lane.

The skipper smashed home from 12 yards after Fabio Silva fouled George Baldock in the seventh minute of time added on as the Blades broke their duck at the 11th attempt.

It had looked like they would have to settle for a point as Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s 89th-minute strike had cancelled out Cameron Archer’s impressive opener.

But this was just the tonic Paul Heckingbottom needed after a harrowing start to the campaign on their return to the top tier and they are now just two points off safety after Burnley and Bournemouth lost again.

There was more penalty woe for Wolves, following on from last week’s controversy against Newcastle, but their five-match unbeaten streak came to an end.

The sodden conditions made for a chaotic opening, where Wolves looked the most likely as they regularly found space down their right-hand side.

Matheus Cunha burst forward in the opening five minutes but his dangerous cross avoided everyone while Nelson Semedo blasted over after he made headway.

Hee-Chan Hwang looked dangerous and forced Wes Foderingham into a flying save before the South Korean was involved in the best opening of the first half in the 32nd minute.

He wriggled clear in the box and looked primed to score but skewed his shot straight into the path of Rayan Ait-Nouri, who could not turn the ball goalwards.

Sheffield United improved immeasurably after the break and boxed Wolves in for the first 20 minutes.

Archer sent an effort just over from 20 yards while James McAtee failed to work Jose Sa from a free-kick in a dangerous area.

Just as it looked as if Wolves had weathered the storm, the Blades went ahead in the 72nd minute with a moment of quality.

There was some fortune in how it came about as a clearance from Cunha hit McAtee and sent Archer clear but from then on it was all about the former Aston Villa striker.

As it looked like he might be caught by the chasing Wolves defenders, Archer unleased a 25-yard shot that arrowed in off the underside of the crossbar.

But the Blades appeared to suffer more disappointment in the 89th minute when Bellegarde’s effort deflected off Baldock and over Foderingham, who got a hand to it.

There was late drama as Silva went through the back of Baldock deep into time added on and after the decision by referee Rob Jones survived a vigorous VAR check, Norwood smashed the spot-kick in off the crossbar to send Bramall Lane into raptures.

Ashley Young’s unfortunate own goal denied Everton a sixth win in eight matches as Brighton snatched a late 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.

Defender Vitalii Mykolenko looked like being an unlikely match-winner with his first goal in 18 months until Kaoru Mitoma’s cross took a freakish deflection off the Toffees’ other full-back with six minutes remaining.

Having taken the lead, Everton had done a good job of keeping the visitors at bay – assisted by VAR ruling out Lewis Dunk’s equaliser for offside and also a good save by Jordan Pickford to deny the Seagulls captain – and Sean Dyche’s side looked well set for their first back-to-back Premier League wins in 13 months.

It says a lot about how perspectives have changed in the last few weeks that Everton were disappointed with a draw against a team who finished sixth last season, but in the see-saw world of the Premier League the Merseysiders remain upwardly mobile while Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is still trying to work out why his team cannot convert possession into points.

The Seagulls’ last top-flight victory on September 24 lifted them to third in the table on 15 points; the same weekend Everton won their first game to move out of the bottom three with four points.

Brighton, who have taken just three points from the last 15 available, enjoyed 90 percent possession in the opening 10 minutes but Everton had already managed three shots on target, two of those from Mykolenko in the attack which led to his goal.

The other was a volley from Abdoulaye Doucoure, fresh from signing a new contract, which was parried by Bart Verbruggen who had replaced Jason Steele in goal as one of five changes.

Mykolenko showed a proficiency in front of goal not seen before as his left-foot strike from Dwight McNeil’s cross was parried by Verbruggen only for the defender to lash home only his second goal for the club with his weaker right foot in the seventh minute.

The Ukraine international last found the net towards the end of his debut season in May 2022.

With the pattern of the game firmly established – Brighton ended the game with 80 percent possession – it was set up for an Everton rearguard action and that played right into their hands, with James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite again excellent against Evan Ferguson, with Mykolenko providing admirable support.

Everton looked to have been breached by Dunk’s brilliant volleyed equaliser at the far post from Pascal Gross’s 15th-minute free-kick only for VAR to intervene as the Seagulls began their long dominance of the ball, although they remained uncharacteristically careless with it and that offered Everton encouragement.

As a result, Dominic Calvert-Lewin found himself in a two-on-two but dragged a shot wide with Doucoure in support, while Joel Veltman’s tangle with McNeil in the penalty area was deemed accidental by referee Tim Robinson.

Joao Pedro’s second-half introduction for Adam Lallana gave Brighton a better option going forward but even then they did not properly threaten, with Pickford’s first genuine save coming in the 55th minute when he tipped over Dunk’s free-kick.

But he could not reach the wickedly dipping ball which sailed over him from Mitoma via Young.

England’s World Cup nightmare continued as their miniscule mathematical hopes of staying in the competition were finally extinguished by bitter rivals Australia.

After five defeats from their first six games the defending champions had long since given up hope of reaching the semi-finals, but officially bowing out at the hands of their Ashes foes with a 33-run defeat simply poured salt into open wounds.

Once again it was their batting that let them down, failing to get to grips with a manageable target after a spirited showing from the bowling unit left Australia 286 all out in the final over.

England were knocked over for 253 in response, Ben Stokes top-scoring with 64 but unable to pull his side out of the fire.

On the eve of the match Stokes had bluntly deemed England’s campaign as “crap” and as they sit rooted to the foot of the table, with qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy now in serious doubt, it is hard to improve on that description.

England kept an unchanged XI for the third game in a row and their refusal to thrust their best young batter, Harry Brook, back into a top six that has repeatedly imploded looks increasingly eccentric.

Established names like Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and captain Jos Buttler continued their dreadful sequence of scores, while all-rounder Liam Livingstone struggled to make a case with bat or ball. Keeping Brook waiting any longer would surely be madness.

England were back at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, the same ground where they were thrashed by New Zealand in the curtain-raiser a month ago, and they will be happy to see the back of the place.

Like their most recent defeat to India, England looked competitive at the halfway stage. Chris Woakes, player of the series in this summer’s Ashes, raised his game against the Australians again as he chimed in with four for 54 as he topped and tailed the innings.

He removed both openers in a controlled new ball spell, Travis Head steering to slip and David Warner chipping to midwicket. He also wrapped things up at the death with two wickets in the 50th over.

But Steve Smith (44), Marnus Labuschagne (71) and Cameron Green (47) all batted with enough care to drag their side up towards a par score. England leaned on Adil Rashid in the middle overs as he picked up two for 38, including Smith just as he was beginning to speed up, but Mark Wood was expensive again.

Given their fragile displays with the bat thus far, England desperately needed a steady start to their innings and a chance to feel their way into the contest.

What happened was the stuff of nightmares, Bairstow flicking the first ball of the innings from Mitchell Starc down leg and into Josh Inglis’ gloves.

That meant another early introduction for Root and, for the fifth game in a row, an exit before the end of the powerplay. He had already seen one catch go down, spilled at short cover by Marcus Stoinis, when he nicked Starc behind for 13.

Dawid Malan kept the scoreboard moving but Stokes dug out just nine runs from his first 32 balls and took 38 to bank his first boundary.

For a moment, as Stokes took the score past three figures with a straight six and Malan chalked off a no-frills 50, it looked as if things were heading in the right direction.

But it was an illusion, Malan skying Pat Cummins down fine-leg’s throat and Buttler lofting Adam Zampa straight to long-on with just a single to his name.

In his mind it must have seemed a statement of intent; in practice it was an abdication of responsibility.

At the 30-over mark England’s position was grave, 159 needed at an asking rate of 7.95. Stokes and Moeen Ali flickered into life, crashing 41 off the next five overs, but their riposte was short-lived as Zampa removed both on his way to an exemplary three for 21.

Stokes scooped to short fine-leg with 13 overs left and 113 still to get, ending on his knees and holding his hands out in despair, and Moeen holed out for 42. Carefree late-hitting from Woakes and Rashid tightened the margin but never came close to changing the result.