Fulham 0 v 1 Wigan Athletic
28th October 2006
Wigan Athletic recorded their first away win of the season, and their first 'back to back' wins of the season with this narrow victory against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Paul Jewell, as expected, started with the same line up that had finished crushing Manchester City the previous week to combat Chris Coleman's decent looking team who were playing their 100th Premiership fixture at the Cottage.
The game starts at a slow pace but it was Latics, playing in their home colours, who almost drew first blood when Henri Camara fired a shot wide of Antii Niemi's goal after just four minutes. Brian McBride came close a minute later and from the end play swung from end to end with neither side stamping their authority on the game. However, by the time referee Graham Poll blew his whistle for half time it was the Fulham team that was the happiest as they had come closest to falling behind.
If the first half was a little turgid, the second period bursted into life almost immediately. It took the introduction of Scotland midfielder Lee McCulloch to liven proceedings, coming onto the field of play for the out of sorts Emile Heskey as early as the 48th minute. In the 51st minute Gary Teale blazed into the Fulham area with Michael Brown cutting out his beautiful cross to McCulloch, conceding a corner in the process. From Kevin Kilbane's corner kick Camara headed the ball goal wards, and unfortunately for Latics there was no Russian linesman at the Cottage to confirm that the ball had crossed the line!
And if that was a let off for Fulham, there came an even bigger one in the 75th minute. During a moment of Latics pressure Niemi fumbled the ball in his own area and Zat Knight handles the ball in his own area, picking up the game's first yellow card for his troubles. Graham Poll awards the spot kick and up steps Holland international Denny Landzaat to take the responsibility, following Svetoslav Todorov's miss at Blackburn a few weeks earlier. Sad to report the result was the same as Landzaat proceeded to miss such a golden opportunity.
This even frustrated the normally sedate Arjan De Zeeuw who also picked up a booking a minute later out of sheer frustration. Paul Jewell, also not best pleased replaces the hapless Landzaat and introduces Andreas Johansson to the action two minutes later. Fulham now had the upper hand and if Fulham substitute Luis Boa Morte had scored in the 78th minute Latics just may have capitulated.
However, the persistence of Camara up front paid off in the 83rd minute when he gleefully seized on a Franck Queudrue mistake, ran into the Fulham area and hammered his shot past Niemi to put the Blues in front.
The game's final few minutes saw Latics defending heroically and, truth be told, were fortunate that Poll didn't award Fulham a penalty following a foul on McBride in the Latics penalty area. In stoppage time McCulloch forced a great double save from Niemi, confirming that all three points were headed up the M1 and the M62. It was hard on the Cottagers, but so far this season it has been Latics who have been missing out on just a little luck. Perhaps now things are evening themselves out?
The win pushed Latics up to thirteenth place in the Premiership and a win against Bolton Wanderers, who have never beaten Latics in a Premiership fixture, next week would possibly propel the club into a top ten placement and the season can then start in earnest!
WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Andy Webster, (Matt Jackson 65), Leighton Baines, Gary Teale, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, (Andreas Johansson 77), Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, (Lee McCulloch 52), Henri Camara. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, David Cotterill.
Goal scorers, Henri Camara 83 mins
Booked, Arjan De Zeeuw 77 mins, Paul Scharner 82 mins
FULHAM, Antii Niemi, Moritz Volz, (Wayne Routledge 53), Zat Knight, Ian Pearce, Liam Rosenior, Carlos Bocanegra, Franck Queudrue, Claus Jensen, Michael Brown, (Luis Boa Morte 69), Tomasz Radzinski, Brian McBride. Subs not used, Jan Lastuvka, Collins John, Heidar Helgusson.
Booked, Zat Knight 75 mins
Referee, Graham Poll (Hertfordshire)
Attendance, 22,882
Wigan Athletic recorded their first away win of the season, and their first 'back to back' wins of the season with this narrow victory against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Paul Jewell, as expected, started with the same line up that had finished crushing Manchester City the previous week to combat Chris Coleman's decent looking team who were playing their 100th Premiership fixture at the Cottage.
The game starts at a slow pace but it was Latics, playing in their home colours, who almost drew first blood when Henri Camara fired a shot wide of Antii Niemi's goal after just four minutes. Brian McBride came close a minute later and from the end play swung from end to end with neither side stamping their authority on the game. However, by the time referee Graham Poll blew his whistle for half time it was the Fulham team that was the happiest as they had come closest to falling behind.
If the first half was a little turgid, the second period bursted into life almost immediately. It took the introduction of Scotland midfielder Lee McCulloch to liven proceedings, coming onto the field of play for the out of sorts Emile Heskey as early as the 48th minute. In the 51st minute Gary Teale blazed into the Fulham area with Michael Brown cutting out his beautiful cross to McCulloch, conceding a corner in the process. From Kevin Kilbane's corner kick Camara headed the ball goal wards, and unfortunately for Latics there was no Russian linesman at the Cottage to confirm that the ball had crossed the line!
And if that was a let off for Fulham, there came an even bigger one in the 75th minute. During a moment of Latics pressure Niemi fumbled the ball in his own area and Zat Knight handles the ball in his own area, picking up the game's first yellow card for his troubles. Graham Poll awards the spot kick and up steps Holland international Denny Landzaat to take the responsibility, following Svetoslav Todorov's miss at Blackburn a few weeks earlier. Sad to report the result was the same as Landzaat proceeded to miss such a golden opportunity.
This even frustrated the normally sedate Arjan De Zeeuw who also picked up a booking a minute later out of sheer frustration. Paul Jewell, also not best pleased replaces the hapless Landzaat and introduces Andreas Johansson to the action two minutes later. Fulham now had the upper hand and if Fulham substitute Luis Boa Morte had scored in the 78th minute Latics just may have capitulated.
However, the persistence of Camara up front paid off in the 83rd minute when he gleefully seized on a Franck Queudrue mistake, ran into the Fulham area and hammered his shot past Niemi to put the Blues in front.
The game's final few minutes saw Latics defending heroically and, truth be told, were fortunate that Poll didn't award Fulham a penalty following a foul on McBride in the Latics penalty area. In stoppage time McCulloch forced a great double save from Niemi, confirming that all three points were headed up the M1 and the M62. It was hard on the Cottagers, but so far this season it has been Latics who have been missing out on just a little luck. Perhaps now things are evening themselves out?
The win pushed Latics up to thirteenth place in the Premiership and a win against Bolton Wanderers, who have never beaten Latics in a Premiership fixture, next week would possibly propel the club into a top ten placement and the season can then start in earnest!
WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Andy Webster, (Matt Jackson 65), Leighton Baines, Gary Teale, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, (Andreas Johansson 77), Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, (Lee McCulloch 52), Henri Camara. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, David Cotterill.
Goal scorers, Henri Camara 83 mins
Booked, Arjan De Zeeuw 77 mins, Paul Scharner 82 mins
FULHAM, Antii Niemi, Moritz Volz, (Wayne Routledge 53), Zat Knight, Ian Pearce, Liam Rosenior, Carlos Bocanegra, Franck Queudrue, Claus Jensen, Michael Brown, (Luis Boa Morte 69), Tomasz Radzinski, Brian McBride. Subs not used, Jan Lastuvka, Collins John, Heidar Helgusson.
Booked, Zat Knight 75 mins
Referee, Graham Poll (Hertfordshire)
Attendance, 22,882
Labels: Fulham vrs Wigan
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