DAVE Artell admitted Crewe didn't deserve anything from today's trip to the DW Stadium in which Omar Beckles dismissal helped seal victory for the Latics.

Crewe could not have legislated for Joe Dodoo's freak first-half effort (15) in which Tommy Lowery's clearance rebounded off the attacker and dropped over Will Jaaskelainen.

But the returning Beckles erred when giving away his second penalty in two games. The defender cut down Callum Lang in full flight inside the box and was issued with a straight red card.

Lee Evans converted from 12 yards (70), despite Jaaskelainen best efforts, to ease Wigan to a much-needed win.

Alex boss Artell said: "They scored a fluke and we could have had a penalty ourselves, it was a stonewall one. But would it have affected the result? I don't know.

"Everything that could have gone wrong for us did go wrong. You make your own luck and we didn't do enough in the game to earn any.

"I asked our front three how many shots they had - they had two between them and that is just not enough."

Funso Ojo went close to adding to Dodoo's goal before Beckles' blunder sealed Wigan's win, which was no more than they deserved on a lacklustre afternoon for Crewe, who are likely to be equally tested by two of the Latics' relegation rivals, Rochdale and Bristol Rovers, in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Sub Chris Porter, displaced in the starting XI by Mikael Mandron, went close with a late header while appeals for a penalty against Curtis Tilt went unheard, but the game had ebbed away by then.

It was Wigan's third league win in a row, as they moved four points clear of the drop zone, and caretaker boss Leam Richardson said: "To get three wins in the space of a week at such a crucial point of the season is massive. But we've not achieved anything yet."