Roberto Martinez delighted with Wigan fringe players following victory over Bournemouth
Latics advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup
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Your support makes all the difference.Wigan boss Roberto Martinez was delighted with the way his fringe players performed in last night's FA Cup third-round replay victory over Bournemouth.
The npower League One side earned a replay at the Goldsands Stadium with a 1-1 draw at Wigan and gave Martinez's side a run for their money on the south coast, with Argentina striker Mauro Boselli netting the only goal of the game as the Latics won 1-0 to set up a fourth round-clash with Macclesfield.
Martinez made nine changes to the side that had drawn 1-1 with Fulham in the Barclays Premier League at the weekend and the Spaniard believes the move backs the club's claims to be a place where young talent can be nurtured.
Teenagers Fraser Fyvie and Angelo Henriquez, as well as 20-year-old Roman Golobart, all started in the win and Martinez was pleased with their contributions. When asked if he was taking a chance by naming an inexperienced side Martinez said: "No, it is not a risk, a risk would be not to give the opportunity to youngsters.
"The future of our football club relies on having a strong development path for our youngsters and it is all good for me to say that and not give opportunities to the young players.
"I will always take responsibility for the results but the young players will have an opportunity at Wigan Athletic.
"I'm very proud with the coaching staff and everyone involved because to make nine changes and to be able to be a team and perform in the manner we did today in a professional way should make everyone extremely proud."
Although Wigan eventually secured safe passage into round four their goal lived a charmed life as efforts from both Eunan O'Kane and Mark Pugh rattled the crossbar for the hosts.
It was a mistake from Cherries midfielder Harry Arter which led to Boselli's goal and Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, who tasted his first defeat since returning as manager in October, conceded that gifting chances to top-flight opposition is always likely to be costly.
"That is the difference between the levels really," he said.
"On another day we would have got away with that mistake but we didn't and we got punished. Fair play to the lads though because we stayed in the game when it would have been easy to go chasing the game too early.
"We wanted to stay in the game and give ourselves a platform to be in it and then if we needed to chase we could and I think we chased the game really well and really responsibly."
PA
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