The whistle followed shortly afterwards as Wigan walked towards the tunnel with three goals conceded.
And for the first time in a long while, the league leaders looked genuinely uncomfortable.
Across the country, televisions had begun switching over to the Bournemouth match.
The league table had made Wigan interesting, and their recent form had made them a story.
Now, with the leaders trailing 3–1 to eleventh-placed Bournemouth, plenty of people were watching to see whether the slide would continue.
"They have been second best," one analyst said in the Sky Sports studios.
"There's no dressing that up. Bournemouth have been more aggressive, they've attacked the spaces better, and Wigan haven't looked comfortable dealing with it."
Another analyst leaned forward.
"But this is where Dawson has to earn his money. They've got forty-five minutes to change the game."
When Wigan returned for the second half, the shape had changed.
