Max Power has described Wigan Athletic's 3-1 win over MK Dons as "much needed" after the result delivered the club their first league victory of the League One season.
The Latics had endured a turbulent opening stretch to the campaign, with recent results including successive defeats that prompted manager Graham Caldwell to call for greater consistency from his squad. Saturday's win over MK Dons represented exactly the kind of response the club's supporters had been demanding.
A result that changes the mood
Power, one of Wigan's most experienced midfielders, was keen to stress the significance of the three points beyond simply the scoreline. Speaking after the match, the midfielder made clear how much weight had been lifted from the dressing room by finally picking up a first league win.
"It was much needed," Power said, in comments reported by BBC Radio Manchester. The margin of victory, a convincing 3-1, will have done almost as much good as the three points themselves. Winning with a degree of comfort, rather than clinging on, gives a squad confidence that is harder to manufacture in tight contests.
Context: a difficult start for Wigan
Going into this fixture, Wigan had been searching for that first league win of the season. The weeks prior had brought losses and a growing sense of frustration, with Caldwell repeatedly urging his players to maintain their standards and keep working through the difficult run.
That context makes the performance against MK Dons all the more meaningful. A 3-1 scoreline means Wigan scored three times in a single league outing, which speaks to an attacking fluency that had not always been visible in earlier fixtures this term. Clean sheets and comfortable scorelines are the kind of building blocks a side needs when confidence has been running low.
What it means for both sides
For Wigan, the priority now will be turning one win into a run. The nature of League One means that a single result, however welcome, only counts for three points. The division rewards consistency above almost everything else: sides that string together three or four wins in a row tend to jump multiple places in the table quickly, given how tightly packed the standings typically are.
The arrival of loanees Luke Harris from Fulham and Chelsea youngster Walsh earlier in the season suggests the club has been actively trying to add quality in the final third. A performance that delivered three goals will encourage the belief that those additions are beginning to bed in.
MK Dons, meanwhile, will be looking to respond. A 3-1 defeat is a heavy one, and both clubs now carry different momentum into the fixtures that follow.
Power's role in the win
Power's post-match comments carry added weight given his position within the squad. A seasoned presence in central midfield, he tends to set the tone in terms of pressing intensity and ball retention in the middle of the park. When he speaks about the importance of a result, it reflects a broader mood in the dressing room rather than simply one player's perspective.
For the Latics faithful, the relief will be palpable. A first win on the board does not solve everything, but it does provide the platform from which a proper League One campaign can be built.
Frequently asked
- What was the score in Wigan Athletic vs MK Dons?
- Wigan Athletic beat MK Dons 3-1 in their League One fixture on 3 September 2026.
- Was this Wigan Athletic's first win of the season?
- Yes, according to Max Power's post-match comments, the 3-1 victory over MK Dons was Wigan's first league win of the 2026-27 League One season.
- What did Max Power say after the Wigan win over MK Dons?
- Midfielder Max Power described the 3-1 win as 'much needed', reflecting the pressure on the squad after a difficult start to the season.