Martinez happy with display

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez praised his team's performance despite failing to beat Fulham at home.

The Latics were held 1-1 by the Cottagers at the DW Stadium after a Clint Dempsey penalty cancelled out an earlier strike from Emmerson Boyce, although they peppered the Fulham goal throughout.

Martinez was disappointed that his team could not come away with the three points, but was delighted with the display nonetheless.

"I was very, very pleased with the performance," he told Sky Sports.

"We all know Fulham are a very strong side, they've been working together for a very long time and Roy Hodgson has got a very disciplined and well organised side and they can really frustrate you and hurt you.

"I felt the performance and the intensity and the attitude of the players was very, very good.

"To be able to create the amount of chances that we had and to have a display like Mark Schwarzer's today, I feel the difference between having one point and three points was his performance.

"That's very, very, positive. It's something that will allow us to carry on improving and carry on working."

The Australian shot-stopper was on hand to claw out a Charles N'Zogbia drive in the first half and after the break he made a countless number of crucial interventions.

Display

"When you get a display like Mark today that's something that we need to take as a great positive of our performance," Martinez added. "It's a great compliment for the way we played.

"We all know Fulham defensively are well organised and have that 'never give up' attitude.

"You look at their last two results in the league, against Liverpool and Man City, coming back from two-nil down, it shows you the resilience of the team."

The Latics boss also lavished praise on Wigan defender Emmerson Boyce, who finished coolly, after Paul Scharner set him up, to slot past the helpless Schwarzer.

"His movement in the box is very, very good. He scored a couple of weeks back as well," he said.

"Obviously his job is to defend and to be a leader at the back, and his concentration levels today were very, very good because Fulham are going to hit you on the counter and they can try to get you exposed.

"But then when Emmerson Boyce can come up with finishing like that it is very pleasing, he deserved that."

When asked whether he was pleased to be losing his squad in the upcoming international break, Martinez added: "Not at all. November is a critical month for injuries and the last thing you want is to have players away from your protection or your planning.

"So we'll keep our fingers crossed, we'll hope that the players have a positive break in terms of representing their countries and come back with no injuries."