Coyle has faced criticism from Bolton fans this campaign after a poor start to their English Premier League campaign, which has seen them lose six of their eight outings.

But a Gary Caldwell own goal as well as David N'Gog and Chris Eagles strikes, handed the away side the points after Mohamed Diame had briefly put Wigan on level terms on 40 minutes.

Coyle praised the characters of his players after they secured their first win since the opening day of the season.

"I thought from start to finish the lads were magnificent," he said.

"The way we started the game, we scored a great goal, but when you've lost the number of games like we've done you have get up and running and as a kid falling off a bike you have to get back on it again."

"(The) biggest thing was having lost the equaliser, as we did from a wonder finish.  It would've been easy for the players to feel sorry for themselves and (start) thinking it's not going to be my day."

Diame had cancelled out Caldwell's own goal, but N'Gog put Bolton back ahead in first-half stoppage time - just seven minutes after the equaliser.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez slammed his side, who he said had made it easy for Bolton.

"I feel really disappointed because we gifted the three points," he said.

"In the game of football the hardest thing is to score goals and I think we made it very easy for Bolton, but it's not anywhere near our standards and I'm disappointed."