Everton 2 v 2 Wigan Athletic
Saturday 16th September 2006
Wigan Athletic picked up their first away points of the season with a spirited display at Goodison Park on Saturday. Behind for much of the game in terms of possession and chances, it was a brace from Paul Scharner that twice pulled the visitors from behind to earn a share of the spoils.
A dire first half performance from both teams saw few opportunities, with Everton dominating the midfield play. Wigan did start well with a Fitz Hall header testing Tim Howard early on, and a free kick skimming the roof of the net shortly after, but it was the home side that was to cause most of the excitement in the first 45.
Johnson came close to profiting from a botched clearance from Hall only to be denied by keeper Kirkland, and Lee Carsley spurned a golden chance by heading wide only moments later.
The ex-Liverpool keeper was in fine form despite an ugly exchange with Cahill, which ended in a mass exchange of handbags and yellow cards for the keeper, and Wigan Captain Arjan De Zeuuw.
Everton took a deserved lead on 49 minutes when that man Johnson demonstrated just why Paul Jewell had tried so hard to take him to the JJB during the close season. Emmerson Boyce dallied with the ball in Wigans' penalty area, allowing Cahill the chance to scuff the ball from his feet and across the box. Johnson stabbed home from 8 yards to grab his 5th goal of the season so far.
Everton could, and should have killed the game off at this point, and would have done so were it not for the outstanding efforts of Kirkland in goal for the visitors. He twice denied Leon Osman, firstly pushing a swirling long range effort round his post and later parrying a crumping shot that seemed certain to double Everton's lead.
Kevin Kilbane was to help turn the tide against his former team-mates as his debut performance for Wigan saw him send a perfectly weighted cross onto the head of the advancing Paul Scharner after first breaking an Everton attack with a fine tackle. The Austrian International met the ball with considerable force, and not a little finesse, to send it powering into the bottom right hand side of the home goal.
Wigan barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when Danny Landzaat hacked down Osman from behind to gift Everton a chance to re-assert the lead from the penalty spot. Beattie converted with confident swagger but the team that refused to read the script on their entrance to the Premier League last season, again refused to succumb to the inevitable.
Andreas Johansson found Paul Scharner with a neat pull-back, and for the first time in his career the Wigan defender found his name on the score sheet twice in one game. A deft shot with the right foot saw the ball scuttle through the Everton defence and put Wigan back on level terms.
Either side could have taken maximum points in the remaining 20 minutes with Johnson heading wide, and also seeing a powerful shot blocked by De Zeuuw. A quick turn and volley from Johannson could have stolen the game for Wigan before the intervention of Tim Howard, and Osman spurned a gilt edged chance to restore the lead for Everton when he fired over the bar in the final moments.
David Moyes believed his side had done more than enough to deserve the win, but it was the battling spirit of a depleted Wigan side that turned what ought to have been another away defeat into a vitally valuable away point.
EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Naysmith (Nuno Valente 77), Osman, Neville, Carsley (Beattie 60), Arteta, Cahill, Johnson.Subs Not Used: Wright, Weir, Van der Meyde.
Booked: Neville.
Goals: Johnson 49, Beattie 66 pen.
WIGAN: Kirkland, Boyce, Hall, De Zeeuw, Baines, Valencia (Teale 61), Landzaat (Wright 82), Scharner, Kilbane, Heskey, Johansson.Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Jackson, Cotterill.
Booked: Kirkland, De Zeeuw, Valencia, Heskey, Baines.
Goals: Scharner 62, 68.
Att: 37,117
Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Wigan Athletic picked up their first away points of the season with a spirited display at Goodison Park on Saturday. Behind for much of the game in terms of possession and chances, it was a brace from Paul Scharner that twice pulled the visitors from behind to earn a share of the spoils.
A dire first half performance from both teams saw few opportunities, with Everton dominating the midfield play. Wigan did start well with a Fitz Hall header testing Tim Howard early on, and a free kick skimming the roof of the net shortly after, but it was the home side that was to cause most of the excitement in the first 45.
Johnson came close to profiting from a botched clearance from Hall only to be denied by keeper Kirkland, and Lee Carsley spurned a golden chance by heading wide only moments later.
The ex-Liverpool keeper was in fine form despite an ugly exchange with Cahill, which ended in a mass exchange of handbags and yellow cards for the keeper, and Wigan Captain Arjan De Zeuuw.
Everton took a deserved lead on 49 minutes when that man Johnson demonstrated just why Paul Jewell had tried so hard to take him to the JJB during the close season. Emmerson Boyce dallied with the ball in Wigans' penalty area, allowing Cahill the chance to scuff the ball from his feet and across the box. Johnson stabbed home from 8 yards to grab his 5th goal of the season so far.
Everton could, and should have killed the game off at this point, and would have done so were it not for the outstanding efforts of Kirkland in goal for the visitors. He twice denied Leon Osman, firstly pushing a swirling long range effort round his post and later parrying a crumping shot that seemed certain to double Everton's lead.
Kevin Kilbane was to help turn the tide against his former team-mates as his debut performance for Wigan saw him send a perfectly weighted cross onto the head of the advancing Paul Scharner after first breaking an Everton attack with a fine tackle. The Austrian International met the ball with considerable force, and not a little finesse, to send it powering into the bottom right hand side of the home goal.
Wigan barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when Danny Landzaat hacked down Osman from behind to gift Everton a chance to re-assert the lead from the penalty spot. Beattie converted with confident swagger but the team that refused to read the script on their entrance to the Premier League last season, again refused to succumb to the inevitable.
Andreas Johansson found Paul Scharner with a neat pull-back, and for the first time in his career the Wigan defender found his name on the score sheet twice in one game. A deft shot with the right foot saw the ball scuttle through the Everton defence and put Wigan back on level terms.
Either side could have taken maximum points in the remaining 20 minutes with Johnson heading wide, and also seeing a powerful shot blocked by De Zeuuw. A quick turn and volley from Johannson could have stolen the game for Wigan before the intervention of Tim Howard, and Osman spurned a gilt edged chance to restore the lead for Everton when he fired over the bar in the final moments.
David Moyes believed his side had done more than enough to deserve the win, but it was the battling spirit of a depleted Wigan side that turned what ought to have been another away defeat into a vitally valuable away point.
EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Naysmith (Nuno Valente 77), Osman, Neville, Carsley (Beattie 60), Arteta, Cahill, Johnson.Subs Not Used: Wright, Weir, Van der Meyde.
Booked: Neville.
Goals: Johnson 49, Beattie 66 pen.
WIGAN: Kirkland, Boyce, Hall, De Zeeuw, Baines, Valencia (Teale 61), Landzaat (Wright 82), Scharner, Kilbane, Heskey, Johansson.Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Jackson, Cotterill.
Booked: Kirkland, De Zeeuw, Valencia, Heskey, Baines.
Goals: Scharner 62, 68.
Att: 37,117
Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
Labels: Everton vrs Wigan
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