Reports had given Wigan’s opener against Vale as an own goal but the 24 year-old, who has now scored thirteen goals this season, was adamant the first goal was his.
“I am definitely claiming the first,” said Grigg, “Yanic put the ball in, I think it probably did hit the defender first, but then it hit my leg and went in. Yanic has done the hard work, but it is my goal.”
Wigan boss Gary Caldwell declared he was not only impressed by the striker’s goal return on Saturday but his overall performance as well.
“I think Will has been on fire recently,” said Caldwell, whose side are now fourth in League One. “He has shown the quality that we knew he had.
“I said to him after I watched Port Vale in midweek that I knew there were goals for him today because his movement and finishing makes him very difficult to stop.
“He got the three goals and that is good for his confidence and he will kick on from today in the remaining months of the campaign.”
Meanwhile it was a busy weekend for ‘our boys’ in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Former Crusaders man Stuart Dallas weighed in with an assist for Leeds United’s first goal as they defeated Neil Lennon’s Bolton Wanderers side 2-1 at the Macron Stadium.
Leeds will now face Craig Cathcart’s Watford next after the Premier League side recorded a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest who had an in-form Jamie Ward in their starting line-up.
Former Ballymena United defender Michael Smith was part of the Peterborough United team that came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns against West Brom who had Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley at the heart of their defence.
The winners of that tie will travel to Oliver Norwood’s Reading who swept aside the challenge of Walsall after putting four past them at the Madejski Stadium.
In the League Cup semi-finals in Scotland there was disappointment for goalkeeper Alan Mannus as St.Johnstone lost 2-1 to Championship side Hibernian, but more of a shock was Ross County’s stunning 3-1 success over firm favourites Celtic which saw the return from injury of Liam Boyce as a late sub after a four week absence.
It will be a first ever League Cup Final for Ross County who will now play Hibernian at Hampden Park on the 13th March.
Northern Ireland's Will Grigg with Scotland's Gordon Greer.
