Wigan Athletic FC - YOTAC Blog

Wigan Athletic 1 v 2 Aston Villa

2008-01-01T07:25:00.000-08:00

Saturday 29th December 2007

BBC Version awaiting official YOTAC feedback before amending:

Aston Villa came from behind to hand Wigan their first defeat in four games.

Titus Bramble outmuscled Martin Laursen at a corner to thump a header into the net and give Wigan a deserved lead.

But Villa, who last lost away from home back in August, pulled level early in the second half when Curtis Davies angled a header past Chris Kirkland.
Villa's winner showcased the skills of their emerging young players as Ashley Young teed up the ball for Gabriel Agbonlahor to flick home a header.

Wigan initially mastered the testing conditions - a rutted pitch and blustery wind - more competently than Villa and deserved to go in at the interval ahead.

Luis Antonio Valencia was particularly impressive for Wigan on their right wing in the opening period and he gave Wilfred Bouma all sorts of problems.

In the second half, those two had a minor spat after a Bouma tackle angered the Ecuador international, whose influence waned.

Villa had to rejig their team after just 11 minutes when Luke Moore replaced John Carew, who was injured after being tackled by Paul Scharner.

The loss of Carew saw Villa struggle to hold up the ball in attack and it took them well over half an hour before they threatened the Wigan goal.

By then Wigan were in front as Ryan Taylor won and took the corner that enabled Bramble to power a header past Scott Carson after he got to the ball ahead of Laursen.

Shaun Maloney hinted at better things to come from Villa when he forced the first save of the game as Kirkland moved quickly across his line to gather the former Celtic forward's shot.

Moments later, Young might have done better when he picked up the ball at the far post but the Villa winger slashed widely with his shot.

Villa's equaliser also came from a corner as Davies sent an arcing header past Kirkland, with Denny Laandzat unable to clear the ball on the line.

If Bramble's career has had something of a topsy-turvy profile, Davies has had a similarly up-and-down season.

On loan from West Brom it was his first goal for Villa as he made his first full Premier League start for Martin O'Neill's side.

Davies had a disastrous debut for Villa in the Carling Cup defeat by Leicester, afterwards comparing himself to a "pub player", but he can allow himself a toast for that goal.

His strike emboldened Villa and the speed of Young and Agbonlahor began to unsettle Wigan.
Young's run and cross for Villa's second was quite superb - the former Watford winger skipped past Valencia and Mario Melchiot with nonchalant ease - and Agbonlahor's delicate headed finish was just as noteworthy.
Wigan manager Steve Bruce: "We deserved something from that game.

"Both sets of players deserve a pat on the back for the effort and endeavour they've put in.

"They were atrocious conditions out there. There is nothing worse than that, with horrible, swirling wind, lashing rain and a poor pitch."

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill on Curtis Davies' performance: "His performance was 5,000 times better than against Leicester.

"It was a great effort from him, in particular as he has been waiting around for a while now.

"He can do it, and I hope he is here for the long haul."

Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Landzaat (Olembe 80), Brown, Taylor, Sibierski (Aghahowa 63), Bent.

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Granqvist, Skoko.

Booked: Bramble.

Goals: Bramble 28.

Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Davies, Bouma, Maloney (Gardner 60), Reo-Coker, Barry, Young (Petrov 90), Carew (Moore 11), Agbonlahor.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Harewood.

Booked: Agbonlahor.

Goals: Davies 55, Agbonlahor 70.

Att: 18,806

Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

Wigan Athletic 1 v 0 Newcastle United

2008-01-01T07:23:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 26th ecember 2007

Fancy dress @ the JJB was about the highlight of the first 60 minutes, the half-time parade produced more action than the dull first half. Apart from a deflected shot from Paul Sharner neither keeper had a save to make.

Sibierski looked like he was pushed in the back but MotD viewers saw that it was inconclusive so reluctantly I’ll apologize for my “you don’t know what you’re doing ref” outburst. To be brutally honest the second half wasn’t really much better, we had a stunning strike from Ryan Taylor to settle the outcome and a couple of pantomime moments to wile away the last 45 minutes.

Just after the half-time interval a you get it/I’ll get it syndrome saw Mario Melchiot and Chris Kirkland on the edge of the area and the ball bounce free to Mark Viduka who with his back the toon army sent a arcing overhead kick goal-wards, however Titus Bramble easily managed to head the ball off the line, and that threat was the barcodes only serious attempt on target in the whole ninety minutes. So our proud record of never letting them score let alone get a point @ the JJB remains soundly & steadfastly intact.

Latics responded to the isolated threat to their goal, Valencia had a couple of good runs and Scharner hit a twenty five yarder which Given easily held. Then in the 65th minute the only true quality of the game surfaced when Ryan Taylor scorched a free kick past the despairing dive of Shay Given, the rest of the match was huff & puff with once again neither side getting close apart from that man Taylor again who made the Magpies keeper save low down at his near post.

Not even talisman Obafemi Martins made a difference after he replaced the ineffective Geremi, the 2nd pantomime gem occurred when the Irish keeper did a keepie uppie before hitting the ball on the volley, however the ball spooned over his head and luckily for him cleared the bar and went wide, o how we would have laughed at that.

Once again a referee upset the home fans, this time it was Mike Dean who made some and I’m being polite here “curious” decisions, usually against Latics.The papers are full of how bad Newcastle was and “Big Sam” © tabloids lambasted his players, however they only performed as well as we let them, both MotD & the press really didn’t give us many compliments, are we bothered ? nope we’ll have the three points thanks very much.

Also noted that Villas defence looked suspect, just the four conceded and with Emile due back I feel a six point festive home feast being a well deserved order of the day.

P19 W4 D4 L11 F19 A34 Pts16 – Position now 17th

Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Landzaat, Taylor (Olembe 74), Bent, Sibierski (Aghahowa 70).

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Boyce, Skoko.

Booked: Brown.

Goals: Taylor 65.

Newcastle: Given, Beye, Taylor, Faye, N'Zogbia, Milner, Smith, Geremi (Martins 66), Emre, Duff (Jose Enrique 78), Viduka.

Subs Not Used: Harper, Cacapa, Butt.

Booked: Milner, Emre, Smith, Taylor.

Att: 20,304

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).

Fulham 1 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2008-01-01T07:21:00.000-08:00

Saturday 22nd December 2007

As I predicted in the preview (smug face) Agahowa partnered Bent up-front while Ryan Taylor maintained his deserved place in the side.

In the first half Latics were on the back foot, Landzaat cleared off the line, Kirkland saved well & Diomansy Kamara knocked the ball wide from just inside the six yard box. but really a drab event was only illuminated by a crashing shot against Kirklands woodwork from a cracking effort from Paul Konchesky.
Late in the half both Bramble and Scharner came close to gaining a lead with crosses from the impressive Ryan Taylor.

0-0 at the break and the game droned on as per the first half, just on the hour mark Sibierski replaced the out of confidence Aghahowa and just after that Marcus Bent put Latics ahead.

Seven goals now for the number 23 as he crashed the ball in from two yards after a flick on from centre back Titus Bramble.

However Titus ensued a scramble in our eighteen yard area as his header ballooned up in the air. Dempsey headed the ball goalwards and Kirkland had to dive at the feet of Healy, a lucky escape for Latics as it was a right mess in the box.

Under eight minutes later and another clean sheet went out the window as Bairds cross found Kamara whose mis hit shot wrong footed the away teams defence and USofA Dempsey slotted the ball home, the first for over 360 minutes for Fulham.

Game on and the improving with every game AntonioValencia escaped from the Fulham defence but took to long and and Niemi came out to block his attempt.

Chris Kirkland decided to juggle a cross but atoned with a save from Kamara, and “Sibs” clipped the top of the bar with a header late on.

Neither team dominated the match so a 1-1 draw was probably a fair enough result, however it did stop the abysmal run of seven consecutive away day defeats, so far its P18 W3 D4 L11 F18 A34 Pts13 – Position still 19th.

Fulham: Niemi, Omozusi (Baird 60), Bocanegra, Hughes, Konchesky, Bouazza (Kuqi 72), Davis (Healy 59), Murphy, Davies, Kamara, Dempsey.

Subs Not Used: Warner, Ki-Hyeon.

Goals: Dempsey 78.

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Scharner, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Landzaat, Taylor (Olembe 86), Aghahowa (Sibierski 63), Bent.

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Granqvist, Skoko.

Goals: Bent 70.

Att: 20,820

Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

Wigan Athletic 5 v 3 Blackburn Rovers

2008-01-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday 16th December 2007

Well, well, well, what a match to behold, sublime skill, great finishing, alarming defending, bad misses, last ditch tackles, eight goals, penalty save, dubious decisions, ticket tape yellow cards & Rovers fans leaving early with and without a Police escort.

The, in the end emphatic 5-3 win is what football is all about, sheer entertainment and a joy & privilege to be in the 16489 crowd at the theatre that is the JJB.

Latics stormed into a 3-0 lead with a robustious start that had Mark Hughes grimacing, first the Dutch maestro Landzaat who scored his 2nd in two games with a fine 1on1 with Friedel after a neat touch from hat-trick to be Bent.

Just two minutes on and Marcus ("A" team) Bent scored with a good finish from a narrowing angle across a despairing dive of the U.S.ofA keeper.

In fact Bent should have done a whole lot better before that when a Ryan Taylor cross hit him in the face, head the thing Marcus, head it.

Now then Ryan Taylor, I did muse in various scribings on the YOTAC site that a place must be found the lad, it was and at Koumas's expense, his whole hearted display touched with skill is what the whole team has been lacking, his crosses were "Beckhamesque" and his tackles crisp and clean for the most part. (Jason off in January ?)

2-0 up and with Heskey & Bent "leading the line" Blackburn were getting a footballing lesson when Mr Clatternburg followed his usual nature and awarded Daves old club a lifeline. Yes Heskey was cuddling Samba but that stuff goes on all the time in the eighteen yard box with very little intrusion from the men in black, even the Blackburn players failed to appeal and looked as surprised as any-one when the decision was given in their favour.

As it was Chris Kirkland guessed correctly and saved the spot kick from Beni McCartheys attempt.
Big Emile got his revenge however, 36 minutes had passed in this enthralling encounter when he & Samba tussled in the box, it looked like handball from the big No4 AND it looked liked he felled Heskey in the box not just outside of it.

Up stepped that man Taylor to hammer the ball across the box onto Paul Scharners head & into the Blackburn net, the big Austrian made up for the comical own goal of the week before, god knows how his head is feeling after ploughing the thunderbolt cross in.

3-0 against one of our local rivals, it seemed that all our Christmas's had come at once but this is Latics and the game was far from over.

Emile Heskey left the field on a stretcher after forty minutes and shortley after slack marking allowed the ever dangerous Santa Cruz to score a delightful goal deep into added on time, although it was a quality finish it did appear that Latics No1 was a little flat footed and I'm sure he was a bit disappointed to be beaten at his near post at a "nice height"

With the momentum now with the red & black halves, the Paraguayan made it 3-2 just five minutes after the restart, Latics struggled to to deal with bad boy Emerton's cross from the right, which hit Steven Reid bringing a great save out of Kirkland before the ball fell for Santa Cruz to hit home close in.

Game on, Rovers poured forward sensing a equalizer which they dually got but not before the daft Aussie Brett got a red card for upending Taylor in a off the ball incident. ( Sweet justice really as Emerton should have been sent off in the first half for scything the same player down, Mr Clatterburg gave only a throw in on that occasion.)

Bentley surged at the Latics rearguard and the ball fell kindly to the onrushing Warnock who crossed for Cruz to power a header past a stranded keeper, initially I thought Chris should have come for the cross but the ball was swinging away & I doubt if he would have got it anyway.

A three goal lead pulled back and against ten men, oh dear many thought, but our club stormed back in a grand finale, Rovers thought they could win it but Mr Bent had other ideas, the fourth goal came from the ever improving Antonio Valencia, his cross found Marcus on the far post to nod home.

Hat trick hero Cruz missed the chance of the match to make it 4-4 but headed over & 81 minutes on the unselfish Aghahowa who could have gone on to score his first for Latics, instead he squared it for his strike partner to tap into the net past a despairing dive from the Brad man.

5-3 and although we stay in 19th place, we might, just might be on the road to recovery.

Wigan: Kirkland, Taylor (Olembe 89), Boyce, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Scharner, Landzaat, Bent, Heskey (Aghahowa 40), Aghahowa (Granqvist 90).

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Koumas.

Booked: Heskey, Taylor, Aghahowa, Brown.

Goals: Landzaat 10, Bent 12, Scharner 37, Bent 66, 81.

Blackburn: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Bentley, Reid, Savage, Pedersen, McCarthy (Derbyshire 74), Santa Cruz (Dunn 90).

Subs Not Used: Brown, Mokoena, Olsson.

Sent Off: Emerton (57).

Booked: Samba, Emerton, Warnock, Savage.

Goals: Santa Cruz 45, 50, 61.

Att: 16,489

Ref: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

Bolton Wanderers 4 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2008-01-01T07:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday 8th December 2007

The match kicked off under a blue sky in Horwich with Super Mario's 3 match suspension meant a start for Andreas Granqvist in the heart of Latics defence, apart from the centrebacks inclusion it was an unchanged line-up and Marcus Bent had a early chance but headed wide from a Boyce cross. Then after only three minutes and Latics conceded another early goal, a header from Paul Scharner deflected passed a bemused Chris Kirkland.

Offsides for both teams ruled the roost & just after ten minutes Andrew O’Brien was booked for a foul on Emile Heskey, a couple of minutes on from that and the much maligned Dutch maestro Denny Landzaat got Latics on level terms with a 25 yard strike that left Jaaskelainen or any other keeper with no chance.

After ten minutes of nip & tuck in the middle of the park, the home side gained a corner and Kilbane handled the box. Referee Martin Atkinson had no option but to award a spot kick but the Premierships leading scorer one Nicolas Anelka blasted the ball into row Z much to the delight of the away faithful.

However villain Anelka turned hero by easing his way down the wing to cross for Bolton’s talisman & Captain Kevin Nolan to cheekily back heel the Trotters in front, while Latics defence took a early Christmas break.

As the half came to a close Jason Koumas was a shade unlucky with a free kick that nearly brought Latics level for a second time, Bolton went in at the break a shade lucky to be 2-1 ahead, great first half entertainment, alas a bad score line for the likes of us.

Latics started the 2nd half well with six corners in 3 minutes, Jaaskelainen making two quality saves to keep the lead intact then went down injured to ease the pressure on the under siege whites.

Eventually the home team hit back and Anelka and Campo had shots blocked by Scharner, also Diouf had a header blocked by Boyce, the pressure told and Antonio Valencia was booked for a foul on Gardner, his first of the season.

El-Hadji Diouf crossed in for Kevin Davies to slide in a third killer goal, again Latics defence seemed to stand & watch the action, a severe lack of concentration perhaps ?

Emile Heskey was replaced by Michael Brown just after the goal on 70 minutes, while Jason Koumas tried to stamp his authority on the remaining fifteen minutes and Danny Guthrie was booked for his trouble in stopping the Wigan midfielder.

Austrian midfielder Paul Scharner was felled in the box but the ref waved away Latics appeals for a spot kick, Boltons penalty miss was well & truly forgotten by the home fans when Anelka scored from inside the six yard box to seal a 4-1 defeat.

Latics defence needs a serious overall by Bruce, to many stand and watch while Kirkland is well exposed, perhaps Chris needs to organize the defence better, he does seem a little quiet on the verbals.
Both full back positions need addressing, playing a centre half is ok for an emergency substitution but to have an attacking midfielder on the other side is soccer suicide.

The team needs to compete and that includes Scharner & Landzaat who need to take a close hard look at their performances and attitude.

To many players @ Latics are ex-Premiership journeymen with nothing to prove to themselves, long gone are the days when we had hungry for success players from a lower standing with points to prove.
The likes of Scottish International Lee McCulloch springs to mind.

With Middlebrough & Spurs both winning to-day & Reading yesterday the clubs in the drop zone are getting stranded with an ominous gap now beginning to appear.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Meite, Andrew O'Brien, Gardner, Nolan (Giannakopoulos 90), Campo (Speed 90), Guthrie, Davies, Anelka, Diouf (McCann 77).

Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Michalik.

Booked: Andrew O'Brien, Guthrie.

Goals: Scharner 3 og, Nolan 37, Davies 70, Anelka 89.

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Granqvist, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Scharner, Landzaat, Koumas, Bent, Heskey (Brown 72).

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Taylor, Skoko, Cotterill.

Booked: Valencia.

Goals: Landzaat 14.

Att: 20,309

Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

Wigan Athletic 1 v 1 Manchester City

2008-01-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday 9th December 2007

18614 turned up at the JJB as winter draws into the hectic Christmas fixtures, City were trying to win the obnoxious away kit of the season award and to gain their first Premiership points against us, they achieved both.

Of all the starts in all the matches in the global game Steve Bruce got it in fine style, as the ballad of Bramble goes, “Things can only get better” and in reality they did.

I always remember the schoolteacher who said, always play the ball the way you are facing, especially when you are defending, Titus tried a Beckenbauerish pass along to Kilbane but just set up the darling of the City support Geovanni to round the restored Kirkland & finish into the South Stand net.

City keeper Andreas Isaksson looked dodgy all the game, especially with the back passes and Bent was a shade unlucky when the ball didn’t fall kindly as he closed him down on more than one occasion.
Latics slowly but surely got themselves back into the encounter and Emile was his usual strong self while Bent actually looked more than just interested.

A cross from the lively Valencia found its way to Jason Koumas who tricked the defender into thinking a right foot cross was imminent when in actual fact he got to the byline and crossed onto the diving of Paul Scharner who scored with a well placed powerful header in front of the we only sing when we are winning support.
Chances were few and far between, Petrov hurried thro onto the Wigan goal but Kirkland was quicker and hoofed the ball to safety.

1-1 at the break but after only five minutes in Emile ambled off to be replaced by Ryan Taylor who took over from Koumas on the right hand side while Jason moved into the middle with a mandate to help out Bent.
Latics were on top for the majority of the 2nd half, a chant between the Great Escape drumming/clapping was who needs Mourinho we have have Steve Brucio brought a snigger from the national press sat just over my shoulder.

The afore mentioned RT was desperately unlucky not to score with a well executed volley at the far post which brought one of the saves of the day from the City netminder.

Mr Riley endeared himself into the Latics hall of fame with two penalty decisions, that didn’t go in our favour, what a surprise eh ? one was stonewalled, the other I have seen given and this plus the straight red for Mario just about summed it all up.

In defence of Mr Riley, having watched a slow-mo several times the big Wigan defender did go in two footed and his feet were off the ground, BUT in his defence he did win the ball first, which in itself was well clear of Irelands feet and MMs studs were only just above turf level.

In the strict letter of the law he had to go but I cast my mind back to Hunts tackle last weekend when he launched at the guys thigh and only got a yellow.

All in all a fair result after a horrendous start with a battling come back against a team that started the day third in the table and Steve Bruce must now know that Jason Koumas must start in the middle to stop him sulking, Landzaat caps for the Dutch team mean nothing when he does nothing on the pitch and room must be made for Ryan Taylor.

Also a plaudit for Emmerson Boyce who held the defence together whilst Titus tried to come to terms with his error.

Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Kilbane, Valencia, Scharner, Landzaat, Koumas, Bent, Heskey (Taylor 53).

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Granqvist, Cotterill, Skoko.

Sent Off: Melchiot (88).

Booked: Bramble, Scharner.

Goals: Scharner 25.

Man City: Isaksson, Corluka, Dunne, Richards, Garrido (Ball 36), Ireland, Hamann, Gelson, Geovanni (Etuhu 69), Petrov, Samaras (Bianchi 78).

Subs Not Used: Hart, Jihai.

Booked: Hamann, Ball.

Goals: Geovanni 1.

Att: 18,614

Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).

Arsenal 2 v 0 Wigan Athletic

2008-01-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

Saturday 25th November 2007

Mr dependable Mike Pollitt started the game for the “ill” ? Chris Kirkland, various reports stated he was dropped/ill depending on who you want to believe. Also starting for the first time was new signing Soloman Olembe, about time to me thinks !

Arsenal forced a couple of early corners while Michael Brown was running about committing fouls here there & everywhere. Meanwhile Paul Scharner had a couple of long range efforts easily blocked then referee Peter Walton had enough and eventually booked Michael Brown for unsporting behavior, that’s five yellows so far this season.

Midway thro’ the first half Adebayor struck a right-footed shot from centre of penalty area but produced a fine save by Michael Pollitt who tipped the ball around post. So half-time arrived and 0-0, apparently it was because Arsenal were poor & not that Latics had played well - piff paff. A spirited first half performance and Latics give as much as they got and better finishing by Bent or Scharner could have seen us a goal in front.

Unsurprisingly, considering that they are at home AND are the league leaders the gooners had 65% of the possession BUT it the score on the door that counts and that with 45 mins to play is 0-0. ( And Arsenal had two shots on target to Latics one).

No changes to either team & the second half started with Michael I’m determined to be sent-off Brown made Almunia save via a left foot shot. Latics centre back Andreas Granqvist was booked for a foul on Arsenals number 7 Rosicky. Big Emile came on for new starter Olembe and shortly after it all kicked off with Marcus Bent clobbering Denilson and getting booked for his time & trouble, also Emile got a yellow card along with Gallas.

The Arsenal defender had the last laugh by scoring with a header in the 83rd minute, Latics stormed forward and got caught out when Arsenal counter attacked and scored a second via Tomas Rosicky who slotted in from twelve yards. It finished 2-0, ah well.

All this was a bit harsh on a battling performance from the Blues, Mr Bruce will take quite a few positives from this match, other results are seemingly going for us BUT we now need to kick on & do what we have to do and not leave it for others to keep us up.

Arsenal Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Denilson, Diarra,Rosicky, Adebayor, & Walcott,

Substitutes Lehmann, Senderos, Eduardo, Song Billong, Bendtner

LATICS Pollitt, Boyce, Granqvist, Bramble, Kilbane, Brown, Scharner, Landzaat, Olembe,Koumas & Bent

Substitutes Kirkland, Hall, Sibierski, Heskey & Skoko

Tottenham Hotspur 4 v 0 Wigan Athletic

2008-01-01T07:01:00.000-08:00

Saturday 11th November 2007

Sunday away @ the Lane and one for Latics fans not to remember on this Poppy day of 2007. Even with David Cotterill making a rare start, Marcus Bent was the only one upfront as per is the norm of late so it was no surprise that Spurs strolled to a two nil lead before the half hour mark was up.
New boss on the block Juande Ramos must be thinking that the Premiership is a doddle as woeful Wigan lay down and died.

Shocking defending led to all the goals, with severe lack of concentration and commitment being a ever consistent problem.

Unlucky for Wigan the hosts took control on with the opener coming in the 13th minute.
Robbie Keane was fed the ball on the left by Malbranque before taking the proverbial out of Granqvist on the byline. The resulting cross should have been easily sorted by Kirkland buta bad error effort could not prevent Jenas scoring his first of two by tapping in on the line.

Berbatov started to enjoy himself as nearly all the Bulgarian's flicks and tricks were coming off. Dimitar set up the next two goals, the first of which came after another 13 minutes, Robbie Keane was definately offside when Berbatov's through ball was made, however Jenas had made a run on the blindside of a slow acting Wigan defence and he sauntered past Kirkland before scoring past Kevin Kilbane on the goalline.

34 minutes in and a rout looked likely as Englands No1 launched a mega kick onto Berbatov who slipped the ball onto Neil Lennon who controlled it with his first touch & scored with a cracking volley towards the far post. Antoine Sibierski came on for the ineffectiual Welsh winger Dave Cotterill but all Latics had to offer was hopeful high balls in the vague diection of Tottenhams goals.

Jenas should have had a hat-trick a minute before the break, he ran onto yet another Berbatov fick but he shot a lick of paint the wrong side of the post from Spurs point of view.

The second half was a real worry for the travelling faithfull, just how many goals would Spurs go on and get ? As it was, thankfully just the one but the half started badly when Keane lobbed over when he was sent thro' as the Cockerals refused to sit back. Chimbonda made Kirkland save at his near post, & Kirland saved well from Lennons rasping drive but Spurs Bent added the last nail in the coffin 17 minutes before the end, his shot hit the post after two goal hero JJ had threaded him through.

Howard Webb was the ref, we couldn't blame him, the team has to take the collective responsibility for one of our poorest performances in the Premiership.

Latics fans bemoaned the board on Five Live, allegedly only two turned up and PJ who wants Chris Hutchings as his assistant has allegedly asked for sky high wages and been turned down by the club. Smokescreen tittle tattle but rumours abound about our club, meanwhile taken from the BBC website..........

Wigan caretaker boss Frank Barlow's views on the 4-0 defeat

"The scoreline was a fair reflection of the match - very fair. We were very disappointing, and contributed to a couple of their goals, while Spurs were outstanding at times.

"We knew before today the position we're in - and this result only compounds that. We can't afford to wait for a new manager to come in and wave a magic wand, we have to sort ourselves out now.

"We have to be fit, passionate and determined to turn things around because this team is capable of staying in this league."

Kirkland , Taylor , Melchiot, Bramble, Scharner, Granqvist, Skoko (Brown 64), Kilbane, Landzaat, Cotterill (Sibierski 39), Bent.

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Hall, Olembe.

Wigan Athletic 0 v 2 Chelsea

2008-01-01T06:57:00.000-08:00

Saturday 3rd November 2007

A game of the cliché two half’s, first half Chelsea strolled it while in the second half they dropped down to walking pace allowing a Latics revival to send the home fans happyish.

The high glow luminous shirts of the Pensioners swarmed all over a poor Wigan team, with just one up front, Latics looked like a side who just couldn’t be bothered with it all, especially after Paul Scharner had headed just wide early on. Mummy’s boy Frank Lampard scored from a great precision low cross from Shaun Wright-Phillips to put them ahead. Frankie must really learn to shut up & just play the game, if he wants to ref the game he needs to take a massive drop in wages and don a black shirt.

The ball looked to have gone out for a throw in but then full back Juliano Belletti went unchallenged from well in his own half and finished off with a curling strike for number two and only after 18 minutes.

No personnel changes after the break but while Chelsea took it easy with a Champions League game to look forward to Latics actually started the second forty five with a renewed vigor and out of form Dutch international Landzaat had a shot deflected wide.

Wigan were a tougher proposition for Chelsea as they adopted a more physical approach and got into the Pensioners faces and “tough guy” Michael Brown almost earned some reward but his shot from the 18 yard line was blocked by defender Alex. Didier Drogba was making his 100th league appearance for the Kings Road club but he was taken off after 75 minutes, before he got sent off for a second yellow card.

The last team Chris Hutchings picked was Wigan :

Kirkland , Melchiot, Granqvist, Bramble, Kilbane , Valencia , Brown (Skoko 85), Scharner, Landzaat (Sibierski 82), Koumas, Bent.

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Aghahowa, Boyce.

And one of Chris Hutchings last quotes before he was shown the door"It was excellent from us in second half. We didn't have any real luck in box but obviously conceding two goals in first half was disappointing.
"One or two players slept in and did not do what we required and that cost us. "We have to keep positive."

Birmingham City 3 v 2 Wigan Athletic

2008-01-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

Saturday 27th October 2007

Wigan Athletic manager, Chris Hutchings, was boosted three times when making his team selection as Mario Melchiot resumed his duties at right back, whilst Antoine Sibiersji recovered from injury sufficiently enough to take his place up front. Luis Antonio Valencia was back on the right wing which meant that Michael Brown was dropped as acting right winger Paul Scharner was moved into his favoured central midfield role.

Former Latics boss, Steve Bruce didn't tinker too much with his Birmingham team that lost at Manchester City last week, although Daniel De Ridder started in place of Gary McSheffrey in an otherwise unchanged line up.

It was Birmingham who started the game in the ascendancy with Cameron Jerome in particular in sparkling form and missing with two half chances before the ten minute mark. However on the quarter hour mark the tide began to turn when Olivier Kapo brought down Jason Koumas just outside the penalty area, although the opportunity was missed, within minutes Valencia swung a great cross into the Birmingham area and Scharner missed a good chance to open the scoring, even though he should probably have left the ball for Koumas who was in a better position.

Valencia had an effort knocked over the bar by Liam Ridgewell in the 17th minute but Marcus Bent had more joy three minutes later when he opened the scoring for the visitors. He latched onto a long ball from the midfield, bamboozled a static hosts defence and powered a great shot past a bemused Maik Taylor.

However just three minutes later Scharner became the villian of the moment when he handled in the box following a Birmingham corner. Olivier Kapo stepped up and slammed the resultant penalty past Chris Kirkland to level the score much to the annoyance of an irate Chris Hutchings on the touchline.

That equaliser seemed to knock the stuffing out of the visitors and the home side began to get the upper hand again with former Latics transfer target Daniel De Ridder, who was far and away the 'man of the match' up to that stage, forcing a good save from Kirkland with just ten minutes of the first half left, although Latics countered almost immediately when Koumas forced a good blocking save from Taylor.

Valencia had certainly stiffened the right side of a faltering Latics team following his reintroduction to the team today, and he was unlucky to see a 'shot cum cross' intercepted by Rafael Schmitz with just a few minutes of the first period remaining. De Ridder and his team mates finished the half the stronger and Latics were relieved when referee, Steve Tanner, blew for the half time break.

The second half started in the same manner as the first, with the hosts starting brightly, with three minutes gone Wilson Palacios struck a speculative long range shot that went wide of the target, but it did serve as the hosts 'statement of intent' to the slate shirted visitors. Fortunately, Latics took notice of it and Scharner was unlucky not to do better with a headed attempt at goal from a Valencia cross that caught City on the break.

With ten minutes of the second half gone, Kirkland did very well to stop a pile driver from Fabrice Muamba and then after Scharner had blazed over the bar in the 57th minute Bent gleefully slammed home his second goal of the game. following a horrible mix up between Steve Kelly and Taylor in the hosts penalty area following a Melchiot cross into the box. Could Latics keep hold of the lead this time?

Ask a silly question!#

In the 63rd minute Jerome Campbell saw his shot blocked by Kevin Kilbane, but this proved only to be a brief respite for Latics. Just four minutes later the Latics defence was at 'sixes and sevens' and Liam Ridgewell scored his first goal for the club to bring the scores level again!

Paul Scharner was certainly having a 'handy' game, as in the 71st minute, he was in a great scoring position only to be penalised for using his hand to control the ball, having all ready been yellow carded he was fortunate to stay on the pitch.

With just fourteen minutes remaining Latics should have scored their third goal of the game, and Bent who was on a hat trick, saw his shot go just wide of the Birmingham post, whilst the home side then immediately went to the other end and Latics' towering Andreas Granqvist had to be at his best to deny Schmitz a goal scoring opportunity.

You could cut the tension at St Andrews with a knife. However, it disappeared for the home spectator with just ten minutes remaining when Kapo scored his second, and Birmingham's third goal of the game.

Hutchings' response was to replace an ineffective Sibierski with Nigerian hit man Julius Aghahowa, but it was too little too late as the City defence and midfield held firm to secure a vital victory. For Latics it was now a case of dreading the dreaded drop from now until the end of the season. The omens are not good as the men from the JJB Stadium have now won just two points from a possible TWENTY FOUR and are still boasting the Premiership's longest consecutive losing run.

The performance at least was better, but just how much more time will Chris Hutchings expect with which to turn things around?

More to the point, given a midweek rant, will the chairman give him it?

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Luis Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Jason Koumas, Antoine Sibierski, (Julius Aghahowa 84), Marcus Bent.

Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Emmerson Boyce, Ryan Taylor, Josip Skoko.

Goal scorers, Marcus Bent 20 mins, 59 mins

Booked, Paul Scharner 16 mins

BIRMINGHAM CITY, Maik Taylor, Rafael Schmitz, Steven Kelly, Franck Quedrue, Wilson Palacios, (Sebastian Larsson 78), Liam Ridgewell, Olivier Kapo, Daniel De Ridder, Medhi Nafyi, Fabrice Muamba, (Gary O'Connor 62), Cameron Jerome.

Subs not used, Richard Kingson, Neil Danns, Gary McSheffrey

Goal scorer, Olivier Kapo (pen) 23 mins, 81 mins, Liam Ridgewell 67 mins

Booked, Referee, Steve Tanner (Somerset)

Attendance, 27,661

Wigan Athletic 0 v 2 Portsmouth

2008-01-01T06:49:00.000-08:00

Saturday 20th October 2007

Wigan Athletic manager, Chris Hutchings, is at this moment in time playing too many players out of position and this has resulted in Latics picking up just two points out of a possible twenty one over the last seven games, a run that has seen the Blues plummet somewhat spectacularly into 'relegation mode' again.

Playing a left sided midfielder at left back, with a player on the bench (Salomon Olembe) who plays in that position is puzzling to say the least. Playing Paul Scharner wide on the right also results in the midfield becoming unbalanced due to his forte being in the centre of either the defence, or in more recent months, the centre of the midfield. Persisting with an injury prone Antoine Sibierski up front is beginning to look rather pitiful, but considering his only other options are a loanee Championship striker and another 'hit man' unproven at this level, it has to be admitted his options up front are rather limited given Emile Heskey's long term injury.

However, today's showing against a very decent Portsmouth outfit left the fans feeling that the team is now getting used to being beaten and it doesn't look like things are going to improve any time soon. And you get the feeling that the absence of the England striker is becoming a rather lame excuse for the lack of firepower. Perhaps it is even becoming something of a rather depressing psychological battle that the player have got to learn to come to terms with, quickly.

Only two players, Michael Brown and Titus Bramble seemed to put in maximum effort with most of the rest appearing to just go through the motions. If it wasn't for a Scharner effort on goal in the first half the home contingent of a crowd of almost 18,000 would have had absolutely nothing to cheer.

Then again in defence of the home team, it was the magnificent away support that was doing most of the cheering and the visiting Pompey team certainly rewarded their efforts with two of the simplest goals that Latics are ever likely to concede this season. To add insult to injury the goals came courtesy of Portsmouth's only two clear cut chances of the game.

In the 81st minute the hosts defence went missing as Muntari floated a ball into the Latics penalty and Benjani joyfully banged the ball home from just 12 yards. The second goal came just five minutes later and Glen Johnson was left in acres of space by a bemused blue and white shirted defence to rattled a 20 yard effort past a static Chris Kirkland.

The Pompey chimes went wild and the hordes of Latics fans leaving the JJB Stadium in disgust must have still heard the ecstatic travelling supporters as they walked over the canal bridge, back to Springfield or the Wigan Town centre seven minutes later!

Latics now find themselves fifth from bottom of the Premiership, just one point clear of the final relegation placed team, Tottenham Hotspur who have a game in hand. Next up are Birmingham City at St Andrews, and Latics now need the maximum points haul in England's second city next Saturday.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Paul Scharner, Michael Brown, Denny Landzaat, Jason Koumas, Antoine Sibierski, (Julius Aghahowa 52), Marcus Bent.

Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Salomom Olembe, Fitz Hall, Josip Skoko.

Booked, Julius Aghahowa 53 mins, Titus Bramble 88 mins

PORTSMOUTH, David James, Sol Campbell, Sylvain Distin, Heidar Hreidarsson, Glen Johnson Nico Kranjcar, Pape Bouba Diop, Jihn Utaka, Sulley Muntari, Sean Davis, (Pedro Mendes 77), Benjani.

Subs not used, Jamie Ashdown, Noe Pamarot, Matt Taylor, David Nugent.

Goal scorers, Benjani 81 mins, Glen Johnson 86 mins

Booked, Sol Campbell 39 mins, Sean Davis 59 mins, Sulley Muntari 79 mins

Referee, Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)

Attendance, 17,695

Manchester United 4 v 0 Wigan Athletic

2007-10-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Saturday 6th October 2007

Wigan Athletic manager, Chris Hutchings, who was no doubt thinking of the last time he visited Old Trafford as a top flight manager, opted to give a debut to Cameroon international, Salomon Olembe in place of Nigerian hit man, Julius Aghahowa, which meant a change in formation to 4-5-1. Loanee, Marcus Bent was Latics' loan striker as Hutchings desperately wanted to avoid the 6-0 drubbing that his Bradford City team suffered here in 2000.

Up until the end of the first half the Blues held an average looking United side to just two chances. The first was an awful back pass to his goalkeeper, Chris Kirkland, by debutant Olembe. The former England keeper had to save smartly as the ball very nearly flew over him and into the net. Then, in the final minute of the first 45 minutes, Carlos Tevez broke in the Latics penalty area but his shot was deflected by the timely boot of captain, Mario Melchiot.

The start of the second half was an unmitigated disaster and there was a lot worse to come. The hosts came out flying, especially Wayne Rooney and Tevez and a succession of corners for the home side luckily came to nothing. Six minutes into the action Melchiot was forced to leave the pitch with Fitz Hall, who hasn't played a Premiership game all season, replacing him.

Within three minutes United had taken the lead and it was Tevez who finished off a beuatiful three-man move by United. Rooney had found Brazilian midfielder Anderson who passed precisely to Tevez who rounded both Kevin Kilbane and Kirkland to finally cause a noise to emanate from the Old Trafford stands.

Four minutes had elapsed before Ronaldo put the Red Devils 2-0 up courtesy of a fine header from a Ryan Giggs corner. By now Latics looked dejected and no player was more depressed than Olembe whose debut was brought to a premature end when Hutchings decided to replace him with Luis Antonio Valencia in the 66th minute. His first match action was a terrific shot that United keeper, Tomasz Kuszczak did very well to parry for Latics' first corner of the game.

But with Hutchings still playing just Bent up front in an effort to keep the score line respectable things then exploded into his face. The next ten minutes saw Kirkland deny Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez, but in the 76th minute he could do nothing to deny Ronaldo from gleefully slotting home after a marauding run down the left channel by Rooney who set the Portuguese hot shot clear on goal.

Hutchings must have been a relieved man when in the 81st minute Tevez was replaced by Luis Carlos Nani, but his thoughts must have been racing back to his previous visit to Old Trafford when Rooney headeded United 4-0 to the good after Danny Simpson had found him perfectly with a defence splitting pass with eight minutes of the game remaining. Fortunately, a jittery Latics side 'held on' to a 4-0 defeat and that is about the best that can be said of thier performance in the second half today.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, (Fitz Hall 51), Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Josip Skoko, Paul Scharner, Michael Brown, Jason Koumas, Marcus Bent, Salomon Olembe, (Luis Antonio Valencia 66). Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Denny Landzaat, Julius Aghahowa.

Booked, Josip Skoko 50 mins

MANCHESTER UNITED, Tomasz Kuszczak, Gerard Pique, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, (Anderson 21), Patrice Evra, John O'Shea, (Danny Simpson 30), Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Carlos Tevez, (Luis Carlos Nani 81), Wayne Rooney.

Subs not used, Tom Heaton, Chris Eagles

Goal scorers, Carlos Tevez 54 mins, Cristiano Ronaldo 59 mins, 76 mins, Wayne Rooney

Booked, Wayne Rooney 31 mins

Referee, Mike Riley (Yorkshire)

Attendance, 75,300

Wigan Athletic 0 v 1 Liverpool

2007-10-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday 29th September 2007

Fulham manager, Lawrie Sanchez, is probably in deep water following his comments about bad refereeing decisions costing his team points, week in and week out, especially against the so called 'bigger teams'. However, after this game fans of s called 'small clubs' can certainly see where he is coming from.

After this game Latics boss, Chris Hutchings, kept a dignified silence despite once again seeing his team denied a penalty. He also refused to comment on Marcus Bent's 'goal' that was disallowed despite no offence, as determined by FIFA rules. being committed. His opposite number, Rafa Benitez, also kept quiet, knowing that his side got out of jail at the JJB Stadium.

There was a surprise or two when the Latics team was announced. Hutchings decided to play Emmerson Boyce as Titus Bramble's partner in the middle of the defence with Andreas Granqvist demoted to the subs bench, whilst up front Julius Aghahowa was preferred to leading gal scorer Antoine Sibierski. One can only presume that 'Sibs' was unfit for duty.

Benitez, fielded his strongest possible team as the Reds desperately needed victory to consolidate their top four place, and this meant a strike pairing of £26.000.000 man Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt with Andriy Voronin on their bench.

An already injury hit Latics side, containing no natural left back, no fully match fit right sided player and two second choice strikers was set for a torrid time. Or so we thought.

In truth Liverpool just about came out on top after the first 45 minutes. The hosts were devoid of striking options but the rest of the team coped well enough when it came to defending against the marauding Jermaine Pennant and Torres. On the half hour mark Torres finally did get a break and he jinked past a static Latics back line, only for Chris Kirkland to spot the danger early, run out of his six yard area and block his shot. The ball rolled loose, heading for the Latics goal, but thankfully it trickled just wide of the post.

A few minutes later Torres went into 'pose mode'. A dangerous ball was floated into the Latics area by Pennant and the Spanish hit man painted a glorious picture of a perfect footballing specimen (for the benefit of the TV cameras), hoping for a 'wonder goal' and he ballsed up, big style. He had the time to score correctly by bringing the ball down and then having his pick of where to place the ball in the Latics net. Instead he over dramatically struck the ball wide!

Towards the end of the half Aghahowa, in a rare foray up front, was brought down in the Liverpool box but the referee, Mark Clattenburg, adjudged that he was offside moments before making his run. Then in the final minute of added time at the end of the first half 'Pool keeper, José Reina made a crude attempt to get Paul Scharner sent off. Rather than just collecting the ball and clearing it he decided to deliberately run at Scharner, whose back was turned, bounce off him and appeal for a foul!

For all or the first half Jamie Carragher and Steve Gerrard appeared to be talking to the referee and instructing him on when and where to penalise any Latics players, and it went on for all of the second period as well, it looked quite pathetic actually. Maybe tactics like this from the so called 'big clubs' need to be looked at and stamped on immediately.

The ineptitude of certain referees was brought into question again just six minutes after the restart, when Marcus Bent broke through on goal and slammed the ball past a bemused Reina. Unfortunately the referee's assistant failed to see Jermaine Pennant playing Bent onside, raised his flag and Clattenburg had no hesitation in disallowing the goal, following a tete a tete with Carragher!

It was now verging on the point of ridiculousness. In addition to this, three occupants of the front row of the press box (two blokes and a female) were inciting the Latics fans in front of them by constantly cheering for Liverpool and the club need to look into this situation and I have already despatched an e-mail to a relevant club official with regards to this matter, as I doubt for a moment they were genuine press people and were, more likely, just free loading Liverpool fans. Either way, I want an explanation as to why the unbiased press feel that upsetting genuine Latics fans by uttering disparaging comments about our team within our earshot is fair game. Or the reason these Liverpool fans were in the press box. And I expect something to be done about it.

Injury hit Latics were causing the cream of the crop problems by the hour mark and Benitez brought on Yossi Benayoun in place of Fabio Arelio and it was Benayoun who scored the only goal of the game, against the run of play, with just fifteen minutes remaining. It was a great individual goal and the press gang/fans behind me at least had the decency to keep their feeling themselves!

Over in the East Stand the goal prompted great celebrations from Wigan based Liverpool fans, this resulted in a few minor scuffles and a sad shake of the head by the majority of the sell out crowd. Hopefully, one day in the future, Wiganer's will not feel the need to jump on anybody else's glory hunting bandwagon.

The remainder of he game saw Latics continually pressing for the equaliser and in the final minute the chance of the game fell to Aghahowa. After another of Koumas' attacking runs at a faltering Liverpool defence his cross sailed over the static Reds' back line an landed perfectly on the head of the Nigerian hit man. It was harder for him to miss the net than score. He headed wide!

One plus from the game was the return of Ryan Taylor and hopefully his presence on the right side of midfield will steady the good ship Latics in the stormy seas of the Premiership.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Paul Scharner, (Ryan Taylor 82), Michael Brown, Josip Skoko, Jason Koumas, Marcus Bent , Julius Aghahowa.

Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Salomon Olembe, Andreas Granqvist, Fitz Hall.

Booked, Michael Brown 74 mins, Mario Melchiot 88 m ins

LIVERPOOL, Jose Reina, Sami Hyppia, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Arelio, (Yossi Benayoun 56), Jamie Carragher, Steve Gerrard, John Arne Riise, Xavier Mascherano, Jermaine, Pennant, (Andriy Voronin 82), Fernando Torres, (Mohamed Sissoko 89), Dirk Kuyt.

Subs not used, Charles-Hubert Itandje, Steve Finnan.

Goal scorer, Yossi Benayoun 75 mins

Booked, Xavier Mascherano 74 mins

Referee, Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear)

Attendance, 24,311

Reading 2 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-09-25T03:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday 22nd September 2007

Last weekend against Fulham at the JJB Stadium, Latics hardly deserved the point they gained. Today they suffered a defeat that they didn't deserve, such is the game of football.

As expected, Hutchings decided to start with the team that drew against the Cottagers, with the exception of Kevin Kilbane. Josip Skoko started his first Premiership game of the campaign, whilst Emmerson Boyce made way for Kilbane. Marcus Bent started up front in place of Emile Heskey and new signing, Salomon Olembe, started on the bench.

Royals manager, Steve Coppell, made two changes from his last line up against Sunderland. He brought in centre half Michael Duberry who had recovered from injury and Kevin Doyle replaced Leroy Lita.

For the first ten minutes of the game Latics were in the ascendancy, with both Bent and Antoine Sibierski wasted good half chances and ironically it was only a great tackle by Titus Bramble on the ten minute mark that denied Royals' striker Kevin Doyle from hitting the back of the net. The next quarter of an hour belonged to the hosts with Chris Kirkland denying Liam Rosenior in the twelfth minute, whilst Andreas Granqvist did well to hoof the ball for a corner following a great attempt at goal from Dave Kitson.

However, he wasn't to be denied in the 26th minute when he latched on to a Kirkland slip to put Reading 1-0 to good as the Mad Stad erupted.

Latics immediately went on to the attack and Jason Koumas' storming run into the Reading box resulted in him being fouled from behind and referee, Kevin Stroud, immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Meanwhile his assistant was flagging furiously and after consulting with the flag waver changed his decision to a Latics free kick from the edge of the area. Koumas himself decided to take a shot at goal and was disappointed to see his shot ricochet off the underside of Marcus Hahnemann's bar.

The injustice of the situation seemed to spur Latics on and Steve Coppell was a relieved manager that his side were still 1-0 up as the referee blew for half time.

Within four minutes of the restart the visitors got the equaliser that they were looking for when Bent scored his first Latics goal, a powerful header from a sweetly taken Koumas corner. Ten minutes later, he should have put Latics in front but Hahnemann tipped his effort past the post as he came out on top of a one on one situation.

Sensing a Latics comeback, Coppell replaced Rosenior with Bobby Convey on the hour mark and just minutes later created a great chance for Steven Hunt who headed wide from Convey's inch perfect cross.

Latics were still playing a lot of good football and Bent found himself one on one again with the Royals keeper with just four minutes of the game remaining and was just about o score the winning goal when Duberry appeared from nowhere to secure what everybody thought would be a point for the home team.

Then in the final minute of the game Latics were revisited by the ghost of the previous season, and they conceded a dreaded last minute killer goal. James Harper struck a beautiful shot past a bemused Kirkland that flew in at the near post and the Latics players melted into the background as the home fans reacted as if they had won the FA Cup final!

So, the Blues left Reading with their third successive defeat against the Royals and they remained in tenth place in the Premiership. However, they were also just four points from the drop zone and awaited the visit to the JJB Stadium of Liverpool next Saturday.

READING, Marcus Hahnemann, Graeme Murty, Michael Duberry, Ivar Ingimarsson, Nicky Shorey, Liam Rosenior, (Bobby Convey 64), Steven Hunt, Brynjar Gunnarsson, James Harper, Kevin Doyle, (Andre Bikey 90), Dave Kitson.

Subs not used, Adam Federici, Emerse Fae, Shane Long.

Goal scorer, Dave Kitson 26 mins, James Harper 90 mins

Booked, Ivar Ingimarsson 32 mins, Liam Rosenior 45 mins, Marcus Hahnemann 90 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Josip Skoko, Michael Brown, Paul Scharner, Jason Koumas, Marcus Bent , Antoine Sibierski, (Julius Aghahowa 78).

Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Emmerson Boyce, Salomon Olembe, David Cotterill,

Goal scorer, Marcus Bent 50 mins

Booked, Michael Brown 35 mins, Titus Bramble 90 mins

Referee, Kevin Stroud (Hampshire)

Attendance, 21,379

Wigan Athletic 1 v 1 Fulham

2007-09-17T05:08:00.000-07:00

Saturday 15th September 2007

Hand on heart, Latics did not deserve anything from this game.

Admittedly the Blues were without the services of three key players at kick-off, but even taking this into account the team should not have allowed Fulham the freedom of the JJB Stadium in the way that they did.

Chris Hutchings had to play Emmerson Boyce at left back due to Kevin Kilbane's suspension and Salomon Olembe's lack of fitness, whilst David Cotterill made his first Premiership start of the season in the absence of Luis Antonio Valencia. Former Cottager, Michael Brown also played as cover for Dutch international Denny Landzaat, who is recovering from an eye injury.

Lawrie Sanchez opted to leave David Healy on the bench, opting for a front pairing of Diomansy Kamara and Hameur Bouazza.

The opening exchanges gave no hint of the mundane performance that Latics were about to display as the game swung from end to end with Heskey picking up where he left off for England. However, in the fifth minute of the game he picked up a knock and was limping badly after sustaining a knock on his foot. Despite an attempt to 'run it off' and treatment on the touchline line, Hutchings had no choice to to bring Marcus Bent on in his place four minutes later.

As if that wasn't bad enough, only three more minutes had elapsed when the visitors took the lead when Clint Dempsey latched on to a loose ball in the hosts' penalty area to score his third goal of the season, much to the delight of the 250 or so Fulham fans who had made the epic trip up from London!

Fulham then commenced to play a lot of passing football, most of it which completely bypassed a bemused Latics midfield, rather than sit on their one goal lead. Heskey's presence up front was being badly missed as Bent and Antoine Sibierski were chasing shadows for most of the first half, which the Blues were fortunate to end it only one goal down.

The second period was only a few minutes old when Chris Kirkland had to pull off a terrific double save to keep Fulham from increasing their lead as the visitors went for the jugular. In fairness, Latics then began to get their act together, but the lack of decent chances to open the scoring was becoming more and more alarming.

On the 56 minute mark Kirkland once again pulled off a wonder save to deny Dempsey who must have thought he was going to put the Cottagers 2-0 up as he raced clear of the defence with only the keeper to beat.

The midfield was still at sixes and sevens, and in the 61st minute Josip Skoko was introduced to the action in place of the ineffective Cotterill, whose impressive runs up either flank were let down badly by very poor crosses into the visitors' danger areas. From then on, Latics looked to be more settled in the middle of the park as the midfield slowly began to have more 'bite'. Testimony to this is the fact that Skoko was the first and only player to be booked in the game, on the 67th minute mark and that yellow card was picked up because of the Socceroo's winning mentality, rather that a cynical foul.

Sanchez brought on Healy for Kamara in the 68th minute, obviously feeling that the Cottagers could produce their first away victory of the season, especially given Latics' utter uselessness in front of goal. In an effort to rectify this, Sibierski was replaced by Nigerian hit man Julius Aghahowa in the 76th minute.

Just when things looked very bleak, with most fans anticipating a very dire defeat, Mario Melchiot was pulled down in the Fulham area by Bouazza in the 79th minute and referee, Rob Styles, had no hesitation in awarding a spot kick, which Koumas slammed past Anti Niemi to give the Blues a goal they never looked like scoring.

From then on, Latics looked like a different team and both Aghahowa and Scharner missed opportunities to literally steal the three points for Latics. But in truth, the Blues didn't deserve the one point that kept them in ninth spot in the Premiership at five o clock.

By then news had circulated that Heskey had broken his fifth metatarsal, which was a very cruel blow to both Latics and England.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Emmerson Boyce, David Cotterill, (Josip Skoko 60), Michael Brown, Paul Scharner, Jason Koumas, Emile Heskey, (Marcus Bent 9), Antoine Sibierski, (Julius Aghahowa 74).

Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Fitz Hall

Goal scorer, Jason Koumas 80 mins

Booked, Josip Skoko 66 mins

FULHAM, Anti Niemi, Aaron Hughes, Carlos Bocanegra, Chris Baird, Paul Konchesky, Alexei Smertin, Clint Dempsey, Simon Davies, (Danny Murphy 84), Steven Davis, Hameur Bouazza, (Ky Hyeon Seol 84), Diomansy Kamara, (David Healy 67).

Subs not used, Kasey Keller, Dejan Stefanovic

Gal scorer, Clint Dempsey 11 mins

Referee, Rob Styles (Hampshire)

Attendance, 16,973

England 3 v 0 Russia

2007-09-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

12th September 2007

A Michael Owen brace helped a vibrant England to a vital win over Euro 2008 qualifying rivals Russia.

Owen was composure personified when Gareth Barry's cross fell to him 10 yards out and he sidefooted in off the post to give England an early lead.

Russia's Konstantin Zhyrianov had a goal harshly ruled out for handball before a lethal Owen powered in a shot.

England weathered a spell of pressure from Russia before Rio Ferdinand angled in a shot to complete the win.

England's performance had Wembley rocking at the end of a game which began with tensions high as Russia led Steve McClaren's side by a point in Group E.

A Russia win would have all but ended England's hopes of reaching Euro 2008 and the visitors began by trying to deny the hosts the sort of time and space Israel afforded them on Saturday.
But an England side exuding confidence quickly asserted their authority, and Owen put them ahead after seven minutes with a clinically-struck trademark finish.

Steven Gerrard dinked a ball through the heart of Russia's backline to set up Heskey, who got the nod ahead of Peter Crouch to start, but his shot was blocked by keeper Vyacheslav Malafeev.

Owen appeared to slip as he attempted to slot in the loose ball as a second goal eluded England.

Russia tried to hit back as they pressed for an equaliser, and England were reprieved when Zhyrianov slotted in a shot only to be harshly penalised for handball.

A Shaun Wright-Phillips point-blank header went wide before England keeper Paul Robinson had to dive to his right to smartly palm away a Diniyar Bilyaletdinov strike.

England regained the upper hand with a slick passing game intertwined with clever movement, which left Russia struggling to cope.

TOP ENGLAND SCORERS
Bobby Charlton - 49 goals (from 106 games)
Gary Lineker - 48 goals (from 80 games)
Jimmy Greaves - 44 goals (from 57 games)
Michael Owen - 40 goals (from 85 games)

Joe Cole had a deflected shot saved before a second Owen goal put the gloss on an impressive first half from England.

Owen was found in space by a Heskey flick-on and he arrowed in a shot for his 40th international goal.

The precise passing and discipline of Gareth Barry was particularly impressive for England, but they were given two early scares after the interval.

Dmitri Sychev powered an angled shot across goal just wide and just failed to make contact with a the ball as he slid into meet a near-post cross.

A resurgent England professionally closed out the win as McClaren's balanced and buoyant side showed maturity and mettle.

Ferdinand latched on to a pass from Owen and lashed in a shot to put the icing on the cake at the end of an open and entertaining match.

England: Robinson, Richards, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashley Cole, Wright-Phillips, Barry, Gerrard, Joe Cole (Neville 88), Heskey (Crouch 80), Owen (Downing 90).

Subs Not Used: James, Brown, Smith, Johnson.

Booked: Joe Cole.

Goals: Owen 7, 31, Ferdinand 84.

Russia: Malafeev, Vasili Berezutsky, Ignashevich, Alexei Berezutsky, Aniukov (Kerzhakov 80), Bilyaletdinov, Zhirkov, Semshov (Bystrov 40), Sychev (Pavluchenko 63), Arshavin, Zurianov.

Subs Not Used: Shunin, Torbinsky, Pogrebniak, Kolodin.

Att: 86,106

Ref: Martin Hansson (Sweden).

England 3 v 0 Israel

2007-09-08T05:52:00.000-07:00

8th September 2007

Match Report Later - & Only Because Emile is Playing this afternoon!

England produced a fine display to brush aside Israel in their Euro 2008 qualifier at Wembley.
A sidefooted Shaun Wright-Phillips volley from Joe Cole's slanted cross to the far post put England ahead as they took command of the tie.

Michael Owen swivelled on the spot and brilliantly unleashed a precise 18-yard strike to extend the home side's lead.

Israel did not even force a save out of keeper Paul Robinson as Micah Richards headed in a corner to complete the win.

The relief at the end of the game was in stark contrast to the jangling nerves beforehand.

Injuries to key players and England's precarious position in Group E had added even more pressure on to the team's shoulders, with the visitors hoping to capitalise.

Israel predictably sat back in numbers right from the start and set England the challenge of finding a way through their heavily banked lines.

Steve McClaren's side threatened early on with Emile Heskey, whose last game for England was in a loss to France at Euro 2004, playing a prominent role.

His strength in the air almost released Owen on goal and Heskey's physical prowess and hold-up play gave England a vital attacking option.

Owen scored a spectacular goal for his 38th goal for England.

Heskey should have scored when, in a role reversal, he was set up by Owen but blazed a clear strike at goal high.

But, just when it seemed Israel had weathered the opening assault, Wright-Phillips coolly applied the finishing touch to a Joe Cole cross to the far post to ease England's nerves.

The trickery and tirelessness of Wright-Phillips and the creativity of Joe Cole helped a confident-looking England create a regular flow of chances - and they could have been further ahead before the break.

Joe Cole laid the ball off to Owen to leave the striker with only the keeper to beat but his angled shot hit Dudu Auoate and his sliced rebound effort spun wide.

Owen released Ashley Cole on goal as England dominated and his strike went was saved, with Israel fortunate to be only one down at half-time.

But England turned their superiority into goals as Owen, with his back to goal, took a touch to gather a Gareth Barry pass before turning on the spot and arrowing in a shot.

Israel were short of ideas and fell further behind when Richards nodded in from the impressive Barry's cross after 66 minutes as England cruised to a first win at the new Wembley.

With 20 minutes left, McClaren had the luxury of taking off Steven Gerrard, who was suffering from cramp, because England have another crucial qualifier against Russia looming on Wednesday.

Russia are second in Group E, one point ahead of England, and two points behind leaders Croatia.

England: Robinson, Richards, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashley Cole, Wright-Phillips (Bentley 83), Gerrard (Neville 71), Barry, Joe Cole, Heskey (Johnson 71), Owen.

Subs Not Used: Brown, James, Downing, Defoe.

Booked: Terry.

Goals: Wright-Phillips 20, Owen 49, Richards 66.

Israel: Aouate, Spungin, Ben-Haim, Gershon, Ziv, Benayoun, Badir, Benado (Golan 57), Tal, Katan (Zandberg 73), Itzhaki (Tamuz 46).

Subs Not Used: Antebi, Balili, Alberman, Davidovitch.

Booked: Gershon, Benado, Ziv, Aouate.

Att: 85,372

Ref: Pieter Vink (Holland).

Newcastle United 1 v 0 Wigan Athletic

2007-09-08T05:48:00.000-07:00

Saturday 1st September 2007

Newcastle United finished this game with their unbeaten Premiership start still intact, whilst Latics, shock horror, dropped to sixth place in the Premiership. Although it is fair to state that of the two teams the Geordies did deserve to run out winner, Latics boss Chris Hutchings will be furious with the referee, Steve Bennett, who sent off Kevin Kilbane for two innocuous challenges in the 41st and 46th minutes of the game, which effectively sealed his club's fate despite some resolute defending.

Before the game Hutchings raised a few eyebrows by leaving Luis Antonio Valencia out of the squad altogether, opting to play Michael Brown in midfield from the start for the first time this season. Up front Antoine Sibierski was deemed fit enough to start which meant that new loanee striker, Marcus Bent was left on the bench.

For the first fifteen minutes of the game it is fair to say that the Geordies dominated possession and goal scoring chances, indeed England hit man, Michael Owen, starting his first game of the season, thought he had scored in the 16th minute, but thankfully, the linesman raised his flag to indicate that both the striker and his partner, Mark Viduka, were in off side positions.

Two minutes later Latics had their first effort on goal. Jason Koumas struck a wonderful free kick from the edge of the hosts penalty area, only for Steve Harper to pull off one of the finest saves that anybody will witness this season. Newcastle were bhouyed by the wonder save and were unlucky that N'Zogbia and Viduka failed to capitalise on good goal scoring chances. On the half hour mark Hutchings was forced to take off the injured Denny Landzaat and replace him with Josip Skoko who was making his first Premiership start of the season.

Alan Smith was unlucky not to head the barcodes in front courtesy of a scissor kick and the Kilbane saw yellow when he put out a foot to stop N'Zogbia in his tracks, and then a minute later Kirkland pulled off a good save to deny Nicky Butt. Latics went in at half time relieved not to be at least two goals adrift but within a minute of the restart Kilbane was sent off when the referee deemed him to have head butted Smith as the pair challenged in the air for a loose ball. The decision was certainly a blow, considering, as well, that 'Killer' will now face a ban and he is covering as left back as the club do not currently have one on their books following the sale of Leighton Baines to Everton last month!

Emile Heskey picked up a 'sympathy' booking on behalf of his team mate and Sibierski was the other victin of the sending off as Hutchings had no choice but to bring on Emmerson Boyce in place of Kilbane who had trooped off the field in utter disbelief.

The Magpies then began to make their superiority tell and it is fair to say that the visitors were under the cosh for most of the remaining game. Just when it seemed that Latics would hold out up popped Owen to head past Kirkland, who up until then had had an outstanding game. In the final few minutes Heskey was unlucky not to put the ball in the net following a lovely Scharner free kick, but Harper flung himself at both the Latics hit man and the ball which then ballooned over the bar.

For the remainder of the game the Geordies kept possession well and were overjoyed when the final whistle was blown and it dawned on them that they had beaten ten-man WIGAN!

NEWCASTLE UNITED, Steven Harper, Steven Taylor, Claudio Cacapa, David Rohzenal, Geremi, Nicky Butt, Charles N'Zogbia, James Milner, Alan Smith, (Obafemi Martins 66), Mark Viduka, (Shola Ameobi 46), Michael Owen. Subs not used, Shay Given, David Edgar, Matty Pattison.

Goal scorer, Michael Owen 87 mins

Booked, Alan Smith 58 mins, Charles N'Zogbia 90 ins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Michael Brown, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, (Josip Skoko 29), Jason Koumas, (Marcus Bent 58), Emile Heskey, Antoine Sibierski, (Emmerson Boyce 48). Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Julius Aghahowa.

Booked, Kevin Kilbane 42 mins, Emile Heskey 48 mins, Paul Scharner 61 mins, Michael Brown 78 mins

Sent Off, Kevin Kilbane 46 mins

Referee, Steve Bennett (Kent)

Attendance, 50, 461

West Ham United 1 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-09-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday 25th August 2007

Wigan Athletic travelled to East London, knowing that they had never lost a Premiership fixture at the Boleyn Ground, and by the final whistle that proud record was still intact.

However, unlike the total annihilation of Roy Keane's Sunderland the previous week, this game was hard fought and in truth, Chris Hutchings' men travelled back to Wigan thankful of the point that ensured that they finished the day in third place in the Premiership.

Both managers resisted the urge to make changes to their teams, this meant that Latics midfielder Michael Brown had to be content with a place on the bench for the second consecutive game as Hutchings is a manager loathe to tinker with his starting eleven. His opposite number, Alan Curbishley did bring back Lucas Neill in place of Jonathan Spector who dropped to the bench, despite starting the Hammers' two previous Premiership games.

The Hammers started the game at a sun drenched Boleyn Ground in the ascendancy and Keiron Dyer in particular was in sparkling form, giving Jason Koumas and Kevin Kilbane plenty of problems, but despite Dyer's good crosses into the danger area neither Craig Bellamy or Bobby Zamora were able to take the chances that he created. Bellamy did have the ball in the net on the quarter hour mark but it was disallowed as Latics employed a pretty useful offside trap, a tactic that frustrated the Hammers quite a few times as Latics played to their defensive strengths for the majority of the game.

There was a scare for Latics on the half hour mark as Antoine Sibierski pulled up with what looked like a knee injury and within a few minutes Nigerian international striker, Julius Aghahowa made his third substitutes appearance of the season. How much longer do we have to wait to see his spectacular goal scoring celebrations in a competitive game?

For the remainder of the first half the hosts peppered the Latics penalty area but the defence held firm and Latics nearly took an undeserved lead when Koumas let fly with a thunderous 25 yard shot that cannoned of the West Ham post with Green totally beaten. Heskey then headed a Koumas cross over the bar and the half time whistle put a stop to the short spell of Latics pressure, much to the relief of the home supporters.

Neither manager decided to tinker with his side during the interval and Latics were thankful for their expertly crafted offside game when Dyer thought he had broken through just five minutes into the second period. Curbishley was as frustrated as the home fans as the game wore on and in the 60th minute he decided to bring on talisman striker Dean Ashton for Zamora just before Latics missed a glaring chance to take the lead. Just how Aghahowa and then Melchiot failed to score from almost point blank range is a mystery!

By now the Hammers were getting the jitters, despite their superiority with regards to possession and efforts on goal, you did sense that Latics did have a goal in them.

In the 78th minute it arrived, when Heskey flicked a Melchiot throw in to Scharner who reacted superbly, blasting the ball past Green courtesy of a beautiful over head kick, reminiscent of David Lowe's effort in the Freight Rover Trophy final in June 1985, and it was greeted by the Latics faithful congregated behind the opposite goal mouth with equally as much rapture.

The Boleyn Ground was silenced and if Latics could have hung on for five minutes the game was won, although in truth, they didn't deserve it. However, Hammers substitute Lee Bowyer, on the field for Hayden Mullins, latched on to a through ball by the other Hammers sub, Ashton, and gleefully equalised with a well struck shot into Kirkland's bottom corner.

From then on, the game swung from end to end and Bowyer in particular was unlucky with a well struck long range effort late in the game, and it wouldn't be West Ham if they didn't try to cheat, would it?

With just a minute of the game remaining Dyer tried to con the referee into thinking that Titus Bramble had brought him down in the box. Luckily Andy Marriner saw the attempted scam for what it was and he whistled for the corner kick and not the penalty.

Latics were more than happy to hear the final whistle and in truth, this point could be vital when it comes to Latics' points tally with regards to attaining at least a UEFA Cup qualifying position come May!

WEST HAM UNITED, Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Anton Ferdinand, Lucas Neill, George McCartney, Mark Noble, Matthew Etherington, Keiron Dyer, Hayden Mullins, (Lee Bowyer 65), Craig Bellamy, (Luis Boa Morte 75), Bobby Zamora, (Dean Ashton 61). Subs not used, James Walker, Jonathan Spector.

Goal scorer, Lee Bowyer 81 mins

Booked, Matthew Upson 64 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Luis Antonio Valencia, (Michael Brown 77), Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Jason Koumas, Emile Heskey, Antoine Sibierski, (Julius Aghahowa 38). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Fitz Hall, Caleb Folan

Goal scorer, Paul Scharner 78 mins

Booked, Denny Landzaat 54 mins, Michael Brown 88 mins

Referee, Andy Marriner (West Midlands)

Attendance, 33,793

Wigan Athletic 3 v 0 Sunderland

2007-08-20T03:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday 18th August 2007

Wigan Athletic finished this game at the summit of the Premier League. After what was a merciless destruction of media darling, Roy Keane's, expensively assembled flops, being the current best team in the land was just reward for a job that was very well done. Not content with that accolade, Antoine Sibierski ended the game as the Premiership's leading scorer as well!

Chris Hutching's side is now getting to grips with becoming an established Premiership outfit and their massacre of Sunderland, destined for the drop given this poor showing, showed Roy 'I will sign Leighton Baines, no matter what' Keane, the kind of team work, sublime skill and artistry that is needed to be a top flight team in this country.

To say that the blue and white clad Latics could have won this game by a landslide score is an under statement. If Sunderland had been a horse, they would have fallen at Beecher's Brook and would most certainly have been put down as early as half time, that is how bad Keane's charges were.

As early as the third minute Emile Heskey was brought down in the box with the goal at his mercy only for referee, Mike Riley to deny his penalty appeal. Mario Melchiot almost opened his Latics goal scoring account three minutes later.

Two more penalty appeals were given short shrift by Riley, who was probably feeling sorry for the shell shocked Black Cats, but there was no denying Heskey on the twenty minute mark when he latched on to a peach of a cross from Sibierski to slot past nine million pound Craig Gordon in the Sunderland goal. He was denied adding to his tally just 120 seconds later when he was adjudged to be offside by Riley, who must have seen something that the vast majority of people in the ground didn't!

From then on, Latics seemed to step up a gear, and the only surprise at half time was the 1-0 score line to the Latics.

Roy Keane had read the riot act to his inept team at half time had replaced Dwight Yorke and Anthony Stokes for Danny Collins and Liam Miller respectively. Hutchings was content to let his 'relegation certainties' (copyright all the so called professional pundits and national media) continue the obliteration of the poorest team to ever grace the JJB Stadium since Latics won promotion to the Premiership.

Sunderland's five million pound striker, Michael Chopra, actually managed a shot on target in the 53rd minute, but it came to nothing. Then the Black Cats had their most promising three minutes of the game when they won three successive corners, but their blatant lack of Premiership quality meant that nothing materialised from any of them.

Wigan Athletic then proceeded to put on the best football show seen at the JJB Stadium for many years. In the 61st minute midfielder Danny Collins resorted to thuggery to bring down Sibierski in the penalty area and Holland international, Denny Landzaat slotted the ball easily past a bemused Gordon.

Keane immediately brought on Russell Anderson for the woeful Paul McShane, then Dickson Etuhu was booked for a callous foul on Scharner before Anderson himself brought down Heskey in the penalty area in the 68th minute. Up popped Sibierski to become the Premiership's top scorer, courtesy of a well struck spot kick a minute later.

With the game won and Latics playing as though they were having a training session, Hutchings decided to bring on Julius Aghahowa for 'Le Sib' and Caleb Folan for Heskey. He even felt sorry for Michael Brown in the 82nd minute and decided to give him a run out in place of Scharner, to enable him to make his Latics Premiership debut.

By this time the 'finest supporters in the land' had left the JJB Stadium in droves, but in truth, you couldn't really blame them. Whether or not Latics will get any credit for this mind blowing display is open to debate. However, if you are a Latics fan reading this now...... are you bothered?

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Luis Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, (Michael Brown 83), Denny Landzaat, Jason Koumas, Emile Heskey, (Caleb Folan 78), Antoine Sibierski, (Julius Aghahowa 76). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Fitz Hall

Goal scorers, Emile Heskey 19 mins, Denny Landzaat (pen) 62 mins, Antoine Sibierski (pen) 69 mins

SUNDERLAND, Craig Gordon, Greg Halford, Nyron Nosworthy, Paul McShane, (Russell Anderson 62), Ross Wallace, Kieran Richardson, Dickson Etuhu, Dwight Yorke, (Danny Collins 46), Daryl Murphy, Michael Chopra, Anthony Stokes, (Liam Miller 46). Subs not used, Stern John, David Connolly.

Booked, Danny Collins 60 mins, Dickson Etuhu 65 mins

Referee, Mike Riley (West Yorkshire)

Attendance, 18,639

Wigan Athletic 1 v 0 Middlesbrough

2007-08-20T03:12:00.001-07:00

Wednesday 15th August 2007

Wigan Athletic fans saw history made at the JJB Stadium during this game. When Antoine Sibierski scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 55th minute, he went down in history as the first ever Latics player to score on both his home and away Premiership debuts. Indeed, he is only the third player to achieve the feat since the Blues entered the Football League in 1978, following in the footsteps of Graeme Jones and Nathan Ellington.

Both managers, Chris Hutchings and Gareth Southgate, stuck mainly to the teams that were both beaten four days ago by Everton and Blackburn Rovers respectively. However, although Southgate named an identical line up, Hutchings opted to start with Antoine Sibierski up front in preference to Caleb Folan.

It is fair to say that the hosts dominated the vast majority of the game and the only surprise of the evening was that the men in blue and white stripes only won by a single goal. During the opening exchanges both Kevin Kilbane and Jason Koumas hit good efforts over the bar, whilst both Boro forwards, Yakubu and Jeremie Aliadiere, were not on the same wavelength for most of the game.

In the 24th minute Latics should have gone ahead and only a brilliant save by Mark Schwarzer in the Boro goal kept a Koumas free kick from blasting into the top corner of the net. By this time the Boro tackles were flying in thick and fast and referee, Steve Tanner, decided to produce the first card of the evening in the 37th minute for a rash challenge by Tuncay Sanli, who was having a wretched time coping with the pace of Koumas and Landzaat. Once again Koumas swung in the resultant free kick and was unlucky to see Andy Davies head the ball into touch.

The first half ended with Latics in the ascendancy, but they couldn't breach the Boro defence, having said that the Riverside Stadium outfit went into the dressing room relieved not to be at least a goal behind.

Neither manager made any changes at half time and almost immediately Latics went on the attack again. Koumas and Scharner had both missed long range efforts before Sibierski netted the winner in the 55th minute. Luis Antonio Valencia fired a speculative shot at Schwarzer, he failed to hold onto the ball and there was 'Le Sib' to poke home the historic goal, which as well as creating a personal record for the Frenchman, condemned Boro to their first ever Premiership defeat at the JJB Stadium.

From that moment on it's true to say that Latics had the upper hand and how Scharner failed to make the score 2-0 with almost the last kick of the game is a mystery!

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Luis Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Jason Koumas, Emile Heskey, Antoine Sibierski, (Julius Aghahowa 66). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Fitz Hall, David Cotterill, Josip Skoko,

Goal scorers, Antoine Sibierski 55 mins

Booked, Kevin Kilbane

MIDDLESBROUGH, Mark Schwarzer, Andrew Davies, Chris Riggott, David Wheater, Andrew Taylor, Tuncay Sanli, (Adam Johnson 71), George Boateng, Julio Arca, Stewart Downing, Jeremie Aliadiere, (Lee Cattermole 87) Yakubu, (Dong Gook-Lee 65). Subs not used, Brad Jones, Seb Hines.

Booked, Julio Arca, Adam Johnson, Tuncay Sanli

Referee, Steve Tanner (Somerset)

Attendance, 14,007

Everton 2 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-08-20T03:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday 11th August 2007

Wigan Athletic opened up this season's Premiership campaign at a sun drenched Goodison Park just minutes after new boys Sunderland went to the Premiership summit following their home win against Tottenham Hotspur.

Everton boss, David Moyes decided to leave his summer recruits, Phil Jagielka and Steven Pienarr on the bench on the bench, whilst former Latics Leighton Baines was injured. In contract Latics boss, Chris Hutchings handed Premiership debuts to Mario Melchiot, Titus Bramble and Jason Koumas. Andreas Granqvist also made his first Premiership start under Hutchings, whilst Antoine Sibierski was on the bench.

The Toffee's started the game at full throttle with Mikel Arteta beginning to start what he was to do for most of the game, which was, run the show. And it was Arteta who created the first opening of the game in the sixth minute but his clever through ball was blasted over the bar by Leon Osman. Just a couple of minutes later Andy Johnson saw his shot go wide of the post as Latics just could not get into the game.

The central pairing of Granqvist and Bramble were being given the run around by a very lively Toffee's forward line, whilst all Latics had to show for their efforts in the first twenty five minutes of the game was a long range effort from Denny Landzaat.

In the 26th minute disaster struck for Latics when Granqvist faikled to get his head to a ball whipped into the box by Tony Hibbert. That wasn't a problem suffered by the alert Osman who looped the ball over the stranded Chris Kirkland in the Latics goal. On the half hour mark Bramble was lucky not to concede a penalty after a challenge on Arteta who was also giving Jason Koumas a torrid time in the middle of the park as well.

As the minutes started to tick away to the break the Latics faithful were fearing the worst and it came as a relief when the whistle blew for half time with Latics just suffering a one goal deficit. Such was Everton's dominance that a rasping 30 yard drive from Heskey, had it flown into the net with Tim Howard beaten, it would have been an injustice.

Both teams started the second period unchanged and finally Latics decided that it was time to take the game to Everton and began to show some attacking flair and Caleb Folan was was eventually crowded out by the Everyton defence as he ran at goal and Koumas delivered a beautiful corner kick onto Paul Scharner's head, but the ball went over the bar with Howard beaten.

On the hour mark Koumas unleashed a fearsome long range effort that went just inches over the bar. The Goodison crowd were finally being silenced as they sensed that Latics were finally starting to dominate proceedings.

In the 66th minute former Newcastle United star, Sibierski, was handed his Latics Premiership debut when he entered the field of play for the tiring Folan. Moyes decided to change things tactically on the 73rd minute and he gave a debut to new signing Pienarr with foal scorer Osman making way for him. For all Latics' attacking flair they still looked a bit dodgy at the back and they were punished when Everton seized on the problem when Victor Anichebe put the hosts 2-0 ahead with just fifteen minutes of the game remaining. Once again Granqvist was found wanting as Andy Johnson skipped past him to thread the ball to Anichebe who scored despite Brambles brave bid to clear the ball off the line.

However, if the Toffees thought that the game was won, they were forced into a rethink when debut boy Sibierski latched on to a nice through ball from Scharner and he gleefully slammed the ball past Howard. Alan Stubbs wasn't impressed as just a minute later he roughly challenged the Frenchman who thankfully, just picked himslef up, possibly sparing Stubbs from the referee, Mark Clattenburg's notebook.

To their credit, after conceding, Everton decided to play safe, passing the ball among themselves in their own half in preference to going for the killer third goal, that could possibly have left them exposed. Despite the best efforts of the Latics faithful to encourage their side the Toffee's were holding firm, and in truth possibly just deserved to take the three points that were on offer.

EVERTON, Tim Howard, Tony Hibbert, Joseph Yobo, Alan Stubbs, Joleon Lescott, Phil Neville, Lee Carsley, Leon Osman, (Steve Pienarr 73), Mikel Arteta, Andy Johnson, Victor Anichebe. Subs not used, John Ruddy, Phil Jagielka, Andy Van Der Meyde, Nuno Valente.

Goalscorer, Leon Osman 26 mins, Victor Anichebe 75 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Luis Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Jason Koumas, Emile Heskey, Caleb Folan, (Antoine Sibierski 66). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Fitz Hall, Josip Skoko, Julius Aghahowa.

Goal scorers, Antoine Sibierski 80 mins

Referee, Mark Clattenburg (Co Durham)

Attendance, 39,220

Paul Jewell Resigns

2007-05-14T06:12:00.000-07:00

Paul Jewell has resigned as Wigan boss - less than 24 hours after saving the Premiership club from relegation on the final day of the season.

Wigan confirmed to BBC North West that Jewell had left his post and they will hold a news conference at 1500 BST.

Jewell's exit comes after the drama of beating Sheffield United 2-1 on Sunday to ensure Wigan's top-flight status.

He has been linked to Manchester City, where manager Stuart Pearce could make way if a takeover of the club succeeds.

Jewell joined Wigan in June 2001 from Sheffield Wednesday.

606: DEBATE
Jewell deserves all the praise coming his way >>BW

He guided The Latics to the League One title in 2002-03 and in 2004-05 they finished runners-up to Sunderland in the Championship to reach the top flight for the first time in their history.

Under Jewell, Wigan surprised many pundits by surviving comfortably in their first season, finishing 10th and also reaching the Carling Cup final.

Previously, Jewell had taken Bradford into the Premiership where he masterminded a similar last-day survival for the Bantams.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan offered Jewell a job for life at the JJB Stadium outfit last year but also said he would not stand in his manager's way if he had an offer from a bigger club.

Sheffield United 1 v 2 Wigan Athletic

2007-05-07T12:33:00.000-07:00

13th May 2007

The real Wigan Athletic AFC turned up for this game, which was the biggest game with the biggest prize ever contested by the club. The town of Wigan had never seen anything like it. Almost £40 million awaited the winners of this association football game. To put the reward for the victors of this game into perspective, the local rugby club (an outfit called Wigan Warriors who play in a minority sport in a minority league based almost exclusively along the M6 corridor, apart from a French team excluded from relegation and a London club aided and abetted by Harlequins RU club) would have to make over 70 consecutive winning Wembley appearances to even come close to that figure!

Thankfully, when this game was over, Latics' status as the town's Premier sporting club was still in place.

Manager Paul Jewell made two changes to the team that lost so ignominiously against Middlesbrough at the JJB Stadium last weekend. Out went Nigerian striker Julius Aghahowa and Australian midfielder Josip Skoko. Lee McCulloch replace Aghahowa in attack as Kevin Kilbane reverted to the left wing. Club captain Arjan De Zeeuw returned from injury and this meant that Paul Scharner was drafted into the midfield role vacated by Skoko.

Blades manager Neil Warnock also made two changes from the side crushed by Aston Villa at Villa Park the previous weekend. Out went Chris Armstrong and Colin Kazim-Richards, to be replaced with striker Christopher Nade and Steve Quinn.

Both teams opted for their favoured 4-4-2 formations and the game started at an electrifying pace. Within the first few minutes there were shouts for a penalty from Latics, but referee Mike Dean was unsighted and failed to see Matt Killgallon's push on Heskey in the box. A minute later former Latic, Keith Gillespie crossed into the Latics area but Jon Stead was unable to connect. From that moment on Latics turned the screw and in the 14th minute Kilbane sent over a dodgy looking cross from the left which Paul Scharner gleefully slotted home from 14 yards in front of the 3,000 Latics fans (the maximum allowed) in the 32,604 sell out crowd.

Just minutes later there was a delightful 'one two' involving Kilbane and the outstanding Heskey, but Luis Antonio Valencia was unable to get on to the ball beautifully supplied by the former England hit man. The pressure was getting to the Sheffield United faithful as news filtered through that Manchester United (weakened despite Sir Alex Ferguson's pledge that they wouldn't be) were only drawing with West Ham United who now needed to lose in order for the Blades to retain their Premiership status.

Derek Geary was booked on 19 minutes following a crude challenge on Valencia as Latics continued to have the upper hand. On the half hour mark Latics skipper Arjan De Zeeuw had to leave the field of play due to injury and he was replaced by Australian international Josip Skoko, a move that brought Paul Scharner back into a central defensive role to replace his captain. Four minutes later Blades striker, Nade, found himself in the referee's book following a foul on Leighton Baines and the Blades were seriously rattled as Latics made light of the loss of De Zeeuw.

Disaster struck though (doesn't it always with Latics?) in the 38th minute when Stead latched on to a Phil Jagielka cross headed the ball into the net to the delight of the Blades faithful. However, in doing so there was a tremendous clash of heads between himself and Mike Pollitt in the Latic goal. In addition Latics right back Ryan Taylor also fell to the ground injured. After a six minute delay to tend to the wounded trio, it was Taylor who was unable to carry on and he was replaced by former Blade David Unsworth, who signed for Latics from the Bramall Lane club on a free transfer in January.

Deep into injury time news of a West Ham goal by Tevez at Old Trafford filtered through and it was the turn of the travelling Latics hordes to groan with dismay, because as things stood it was the Blues who looked destined for the drop. Then, moments after the Hammers goal Latics were awarded a penalty following a handling offence in the box by Jagielka.

Step forward DAVID UNSWORTH to take the spot kick.

Earlier in the season he had missed from the spot in a crucial game for the Blades, however this time, he slammed the ball home past his former team mate Paddy Kenny. The fans behind the goal went doo-lally and as Heman's Hermits used to say, 'there was a kind of Hush' all around three sides of Bramall Lane.

If Latics dominated the first period it is fair to say that the Blades had the better of the second half. Warnock replaced the ineffective Nade with Danny Webber and it was Webber who, just nine minutes later ran into the Latics area with only Pollitt to beat. He looped the ball over the despairing keeper but the ball hit the post and bounced to safety. It was now the turn of the blue shirted heroes to come under the cosh as this chance really spurred the Blades on.

A minute later McCulloch entered the referee's notebook for a foul as the tension began to become unbearable. Warnock then brought on Kazim-Richards for Quinn and within a minute Heskey had blocked the substitutes goal bound header, suffering an injury in the process.

Then with just 16 minutes of the game remaining McCulloch made a rash challenge on Blades midfielder Michael Tongue, and he was sent off. By now Alex Ferguson had finally brought Manchester United up to full strength but they were still trailing the Hammers by 0-1. The Blues were now down to ten men and just how Latics survived the final quarter of an hour, plus five minutes of time added on will go down in history.

In the 78th minute Denny Landzaat was replaced by Caleb Folan as Heskey dropped further back, Jewell obviously wanting his physical presence in midfield, leaving Folan up front alone. Warnock immediately brought on Claude Davis for Montgomery and Scharner was promptly shown his yellow card as the tension became almost unbearable. Incredibly some Sheffield fans were leaving the stadium, unable to stand the pain any longer!

By the 81st minute Valencia had been booked for time wasting and Heskey was having the game of his life in the centre of the defence in an effort to halt the marauding Blades attack which seemed to consist of the entire Sheffield team. In the last minute of normal time Stead fired in a cross from the right and Gillespie could only divert the ball into the Latics side netting. By now the Blades fans knew that the Hammers had won at Old Trafford and just a few minutes later they were doomed as Mike Dean blew the final whistle on what was one of the most intense games that either club had ever played in.

Latics were safe, but the fans applauded the Sheffield faithful at the end of the game and the gesture was reciprocated. Ironically, the team staying in the Premiership along with Latics was West Ham United despite fielding two players that broke Premiership rules for over half of the season.

SHEFFIELD UNITED, Paddy Kenny, Chris Morgan, Matt Kilgallon, Derek Geary, Nick Montgomery, (Claude Davis 79), Steve Quinn, (Colin Kazim-Richards 56), Phil Jagielka, Michael Tongue, Keith Gillespie, Jon Stead, Christian Nade, (Danny Webber 46). Subs not used, Ian Bennett, Mikele Leigertwood

Goal scorer, Jon Stead 38 mins

Booked, Derek Geary 19 mins, Christian Nade 33 mins, Phil Jagielka 45 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Mike Pollitt, Ryan Taylor, (David Unsworth 42), Arjan De Zeeuw, (Josip Skoko 31), Emmerson Boyce, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, Denny Landzaat, (Caleb Folan 77), Paul Scharner, Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Lee McCulloch. Subs not used, John Filan, Henri Camara.

Goal scorers, Paul Scharner 14 mins, David Unsworth (pen) 45 mins

Booked, David Unsworth 45 mins, Lee McCulloch 55 mins, Paul Scharner 78 mins,Luis Antonio Valencia 81 mins, Caleb Folan 90 mins

Sent Off, Lee McCulloch 74 mins

Referee, Mike Dean (Wirral)

Attendance, 32,604

Wigan Athletic 0 v 1 Middlesbrough

2007-05-06T00:50:00.000-07:00

5th May 2007

The fat lady isn’t singing yet but she has got on the stage to start, we need to blunt the Blades (cliché out of the way) in our roadtrip to Bramall Lane.

The last home game of our second season in the top flight ended with yet another home defeat, ten in all @ the JJB.

To their credit and it wasn’t hard to improve on the shambles against the Hammers but Latics started brightly enough with Valencia breaking well in the sunshine next to the East stand. However as he did most of the afternoon, newly signed Jonathan Woodgate dealt with any danger in and around the penalty box.

Dutchman Denny miscued a shot which fell to the Ecuador winger who in turn fed Ryan Taylor, his deep cross to “the back stick” was met by alleged Rangers bound Lee McCulloch whose header crashed against the bar with Mark Schwarzer well beaten.

Boro took the lead when a harsh free-kick & a 8th booking of the campaign against Leighton Baines led to Stuart Downings delightful chip to the far post which in turn left our static defence bemused and the Aussie that is Viduka tapped in past Mike Pollitt just afore the half hour mark.The goal spurred the smoggies on and Latics Polly saved well from Downing at his near post.0-1 at the break and news filtered around the Bluesboyz stadium that the Eastenders were cruising at 3-0 and the Cottagers were 0-0 with Pool’s second eleven.

The second half started with the reds on top, Downing once again involved, he shot well wide with Viduka well placed for a tap in and a static defence once again just about survived.Again the defence went awol as Viduka ambled in onto Rochembacks cross and was a thong away from goal number two.

More misery ensued as around the hour mark Baines hobbled off and any width on the left was to be pursued by Dave Unsworth, not quite the same intent but he did put some half decent crosses in but to no avail. Latics penultimate attempt at a goal was when Skoko put Valencia thro’ for Aghahowa to miss the cross which ended up in the arms of another Aussie keeper @ the JJB.

Heskey, remember him? worked hard all the game but didn’t use his power/pace or any guile and although he didn’t get quality service even when David Cotterill came on.

Emile blazed over from just inside the box near the end, a equalizer would have been nice but the point wouldn’t have made any difference to next Sundays showdown.

Wigan: Pollitt, Taylor, Boyce, Scharner, Baines (Unsworth 57), Valencia, Landzaat (Cotterill 64), Skoko, McCulloch, Heskey, Aghahowa (Folan 68).Subs Not Used: Filan, Kilbane.

Booked: Baines, Valencia, Taylor.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Davies, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Downing, Rochemback, Boateng (Cattermole 76), Arca, Viduka (Euell 86), Lee (Johnson 90).Subs Not Used: Jones, Riggott.

Goals: Viduka 29.

Att: 21,204

Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).

Wigan Athletic 0 v 3 West Ham

2007-05-06T00:44:00.000-07:00

28th April 2007

Two to go, the game after the night before, in essence after the heavyweights at noon the big game of the day in the Premiership took place at a raucous JJB stadium filled with this season’s biggest crowd, 24726.

In the week that started with St George a much deserved response to a “true” legend of 1966 and the real action of the day began at a sun kissed stadia on a Subbuteo likened pitch.

You never tire of the moment as you first walk onto the “terrace” and see the green, green grass of home and the splendour of the colours on & off the pitch.

When God invented football he invented heaven and so to kick-off, Latics in the nearly traditional blue & white whilst our counterparts donned their regular colours all was set.

Except Latics hadn’t read the script and watching the debacle unfold was akin to soccer hell not footballing heaven.

The positives from the shambles of a game today from a Wigan Athletic point of view was . . . . .

Wigan: Filan, Boyce, De Zeeuw (Unsworth 24), Jackson, Baines, McCulloch, Landzaat (Scharner 46), Skoko, Kilbane (Aghahowa 54), Heskey, Camara.Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Taylor.

Booked: Camara.

West Ham: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Collins, McCartney, Benayoun, Reo-Coker (Mullins 85), Noble, Boa Morte, Zamora (Harewood 68), Tevez (Spector 83). Subs Not Used: Cole, Davenport.

Goals: Boa Morte 30, Benayoun 57, Harewood 82

Booked: McCartney, Reo-Coker.

Att: 24,726

Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).

Liverpool 2 v 0 Wigan Athletic

2007-04-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

21st April 2007

It was never going to be easy but in the end a 2-0 reverse was pleasing to PJ, it was however very easy for the Reds ( reserve squad ) in the spring sunshine.Only rookie Caleb Folan posed any sort of threat to Pepe Reina and that was in the 2nd half, Caleb could be a mega hit for us next season if he maintains his progress.

The Pool started off like testimonial game, pass here, pass there with Latics content to watch while defending deep, highlight of the first half was ref Mike Riley tumbling over like a drunk with no one within yards of him.

Emile also does this quite a lot but sadly the Kop are well use to seeing him sat on his backside.

Dirk Kuyt's first goals for over three months were both well taken finishes, the first nipping in before John Filan from Pennants well delivered cross from the left on the half hour mark.

With five in midfield and just Heskey up front Latics never really looked like getting level before the break and went in only one down.

The same pattern emerged in the second period as Liverpool did enough and the Blues offering very little in return.

Missed chances came and went especially for Crouch, Gonzalez & Kuyt, the latter bringing the best out of Filan.

68 minutes in and Kuyt bagged his brace with a well taken goal, Chilean winger Gonzalez struck a super pass to Craig Bellamy, who had just come on as sub, he in turn found John Arne Riise but the Norwegian was stopped by a desperate tackle by Matt Jackson as he went for the return.

The ball ran free in to Kuyt and before Wigan’s back line could stop him, he shot low into the left of the onion bag. Henri Camara, Caleb Folan and Julius Agahowa, all played in the 2nd half but like their predecessor Heskey couldn't grab even a consolation goal.

In complete contrast Rafa stuck bad boy Bellamy on and he engineered the second and was a pain in the proverbial whilst on the pitch.

5000 eastenders (cue drum music) descend on the JJB on Saturday, we all have to stand up & be counted, supporters AND the players, lets really see who wants to stay in the money trough league eh ?

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher (Agger 73), Hyypia, Riise, Pennant, Alonso, Zenden (Gerrard 70), Gonzalez, Kuyt, Crouch (Bellamy 63).Subs Not Used: Dudek, Mascherano.

Booked: Carragher, Alonso.

Goals: Kuyt 30, 68.

WIGAN: Filan, Boyce, Jackson, De Zeeuw, Baines, Scharner, Taylor (Camara 46), Skoko, Landzaat (Aghahowa 70), Kilbane, Heskey (Folan 64).Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Granqvist.

Booked: Scharner, De Zeeuw.

Att: 44,003.

Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).

Wigan Athletic 3 v 3 Tottenham Hotspur

2007-04-20T04:30:00.000-07:00

15th April 2007

On a sunkissed Sunday lunchtime, the smell of the traditional fry ups gives way to the institution of the great British Bar B Q as an early afternoon kickoff at the JJB dawns.

Soft southern Spurs are in Pie-town and the Latics need the points.

After smuggling a spy into the West Stand's best seat the game broke into life with the heavily booed Chimbonda fouling Heskey, free kick results in a ping pong affair with Emile notching his 8th goal of this second season of top-flight football.

We had barely all sat down then the Bulgurian Berbertov balletesque danced thro' a lead footed blues defence to draw level just two minutes later.It was nip & tuck for the next 25 minutes with Sky getting full value for the neutrals, whilst the spectacle before us kept all the true supporters from both sides enthralled.

The game was pacy and absorbing, on the half hour mark Baines stroked in a peach of a goal from oudside the area on the left leaving England's number one in a desperate forlorn dive.

The tannoy cannoned into sound again but once again the Cockeral crowed and Keane made it 2-2 from the spot.Latics got caught on the break looking for a third by Jermaine Jenas and Bainsey pushed him a tad outside the area & Filo made sure that the Poll gave the free strike at the onion bag.

Just before the interval Kevin Kilbane could have notched his first ever Latics goal but headed over the bar with a gaping goal in front of him, all this after Robinson had parried a fierce diving header from Paul Scharner.

Fortune favours the brave & KK did open his account with Wigan's premier team with a glorious bullet header on the hour mark from a well delivered corner.

Alas poor Latics as the lead lasted only a short while, eight minutes if you are being picky as Keane got his 2nd goal from route one football, Jacko lost the flight and Robbie finished with some aplomb.

All in all we once again held our own against a top-ten side and IF, well lifes full of them eh?

WIGAN ATHLETIC: Filan, Boyce, Jackson (Skoko 73), De Zeeuw, Baines, McCulloch (Taylor 40), Landzaat, Scharner, Kilbane, Heskey (Folan 66), Camara.Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Aghahowa.

Booked: Filan, De Zeeuw, Scharner.

Goals: Heskey 2, Baines 30, Kilbane 60.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Rocha, Ifil, Tainio (Malbranque 65), Jenas, Zokora, Lennon (Defoe 75), Berbatov, Keane.Subs Not Used: Cerny, Ghaly, Charlie Lee.

Goals: Berbatov 4, Keane 35 pen, 68.

Att: 16,506

Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).

Aston Villa 1 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-04-12T03:38:00.000-07:00

9th April 2007

The point earned from this game could very well prove to be crucial as the season builds up to what promises to be an unbelievably tense finale.

Latics manager Paul Jewell rang the changes following the home defeat against Bolton Wanderers two days earlier. David Unsworth replaced Fitz Hall in the centre of defence, whilst Hall himself moved over to the right back position as Ryan Taylor found himself on the substitutes bench. Ryan himself has just returned from two horrendous leg injuries and Jewell obviously felt that it was time for a brief rest for the England Under 21 star.

In midfield Denny Landzaat returned from a one match break with Josip Skoko the one on bench duty for this game. Caleb Folan was dropped to the bench in favour of Lee McCulloch who moved up front, whilst there was a return for Kevin Kilbane on the left hand side of midfield.

To say that Latics were completely outplayed may not be overstepping the mark. The Villans were bouyed by a terrific result at Blackburn Rovers two days previously and a win would have guaranteed them Premiership survival. And they seemed determined to get the three points up for grabs as they started the game at a blistering pace.

However, completely against the run of play, it was the men in black who took the lead. A corner from the right caused havoc in the Villa area and after a scramble in the box Emile Heskey stroked the ball home to put Latics on the front foot.

Or so it should have.

It was Villa who stepped up another gear and were spreading the ball around the field with not a little skill and endeavour, frustrating the Latics midfield. Luis Antonio Valencia showed his frustration in completely the wrong way, and an awful two footed challenge on Wilfred Bouma in the 34th minute resulted in the right winger receiving a straight red card and there were certainly no complaints from the Wigan players, management or fans.

Four minutes later Bouma had to leave the field of play and he was replaced by Ashley Young and from that moment on Latics were under almost constant pressure for the remainder of the game.

The only surprise of the afternoon was that Villa didn't then go on and steamroller Latics, who to be fair defended manfully against the onslaught. There was even a hint of offside about Villa's goal as Patrik Berger looked to be in an offside position as he threaded the ball to Gabriel Agbonlahor who gave John Filan no chance in the Wigan goal.

If Filan felt aggrieved about that he was a relieved man when he parried an Olaf Mellberg shot onto the post with the ball appearing to go over the line, however the assistant referee adjudged the ball to have been saved.

The end of the game saw Filan involved in an angry exchange with a Villa fan, obviously frustrated that his team hadn't beaten him more than once during the 90 minutes!

Fulham were beaten by Manchester City, whilst Charlton Athletic could only draw against Reading. With Sheffield United not playing, the result meant that Latics were now three points clear of the drop zone with a crucial home game to come against Tottenham Hotspur, a team they have never beaten in a Premiership fixture, next Sunday.

There is then a trip to Anfield to take on the resurgent Liverpool and whilst you realistically expect Latics to maybe just pick a point up from those games, it will be the final trio of games that will make or break Latics' season. Two home games against Middlesbrough and West Ham United and a trip to Bramall Lane on the last day of the season are all 'must win' and winnable games.

It's going to get a lot hotter before Latics take their place among the world's most elite football teams again next season!

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Fitz Hall, (Josip Skoko 52), Matt Jackson, David Unsworth, (Ryan Taylor 56), Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Kevin Kilbane, Lee McCulloch, Emile Heskey, (Caleb Folan 84). Subs not used, Carlo Nash, Julius Aghahowa.

Goal scorer, Emile Heskey 21 mins

Booked, Leighton Baines 54 mins, John Filan, 81 mins, Paul Scharner 87 mins

Sent Off, Luis Antonio Valencia 34 mins

ASTON VILLA, Thomas Sorensen, Wilfred Bouma, (Ashley Young 38), Martin Laursen, Olaf Mellberg, Gareth Barry, Stiliyan Petrov, Craig Gardner, Shaun Maloney, (Luke Moore 74), Patrik Berger, Gabriel Agbonlahor. Subs not used, Stuart Taylor, Aaron Hughes, Steve Davis.

Goal scorer, Gabriel Agbonlahor 50 mins

Booked, Stiliyan Petrov 29 mins, Olaf Mellberg 49 mins

Referee, Mike Halsey (Lancashire)

Attendance, 31,920

Wigan Athletic 1 v 3 Bolton Wanderers

2007-04-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

7th April 2007

The jubilant Bolton Wanderers fans in the half full away end at the JJB Stadium were deliriously singing, 'We'll never play you again', with almost twenty matches of this game remaining and they could well be proved correct in the fullness of time. They were celebrating an easily earned three points courtesy of a Latics side that was, at best, shambolic.

The players on show for Latics couldn't blame their exertions during a Thursday Evening Quiz Night with the fans and the Official Supporters Club either, because they couldn't be arsed showing up for that event either. If these players on show think they're too good for the likes of us and really are a notch above the supporters of this club, they had better start proving it, and fast.

In fairness to manager Paul Jewell, he was hit by the unexpected loss of Arjan De Zeeuw and when the team sheet was published there were not a few groans of dissent when it was revealed that Fitz Hall would take his place. In midfield Denny Landzaat found himself dropped, to be replaced with the fit gain Paul Scharner, other than that it was the same team that narrowly lost their last league outing against Charlton Athletic at the Valley.

The first half an hour of the game saw Latics actually in the ascendancy. In the 32nd minute Luis Antonio Valencia blazed away down the right hand channel and sent a beautiful cross into the Trotters' penalty area and Emile Heskey was on hand, for what proved to be the first and only time in the match, to poke the ball over the line.

A furious Sam Allardyce then raced down the West Stand into the dug out and lambasted the fourth official as he felt that Valencia had fouled Tal Ben Haim in the build up to the goal. Three minutes later, deciding he was in fact wrong, he substituted Ben Haim and brought on Ricardo Gardner and from that moment on Valencia's threat was at an end.

Latics looked reasonably comfortable until the fabled last minute then, of course, they conceded with just seconds of the first half remaining. Nicolas Anelka doing the honours for the Trotters after a horrendous error of judgement from John Filan. Thankfully there was only one minute of stoppage time, but do you believe me when I say that Latics were fortunate not to concede a second goal, and were happy to go in for the half time break on level terms?

The less that this gutted fan writes about the second half the better. I would end up with a Jose Mourinho style dossier if I did that. Suffice to say that Latics should be happy that Andranik Teymourian didn't in fact score his first Premiership hat trick. He gleefully slammed the ball into the hapless Filan's net in the 68th minute, repeating the feat in the 73rd minute. The Blues were fortunate that he only found the net twice in a blistering Bolton five minute period in which they had Latics' big time Charlie's running around like headless chickens.

When the third Bolton goal hit the net Latics fans left the stadium in disgust, and I must admit I felt like doing the same. And I NEVER leave a game early.

The Blues now find themselves just two points clear of the relegation trap door. But Jewell still maintains that safety is in 'our own hands'. He is of course right for now. But it won't be long before that particular chestnut will be cracked if Latics put in any more displays as inept as that this season.

Changes need to be made for the next game against Aston Villa at Villa Park tomorrow night.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Ryan Taylor, Matt Jackson, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, Josip Skoko, (David Cotterill 74), Paul Scharner, Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan, (Henri Camara 63), Emile Heskey. Subs not used, Carlo Nash, David Unsworth, Kevin Kilbane.

Goal scorer, Emile Heskey 32 mins

BOLTON WANDERERS, Jussi Jaiskelianen, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Meite, Tal Ben Haim, (Ricardo Gardner 35), Andranik Teymourian, David Thompson, (Idan Tal 74), Abdoulaye Faye, Gary Speed, El Hadji Ciouff, Nicolas Anelka, (Stelios Giannakopolous 88), Kevin Davies. Subs not used, Ali Al Hibsi, Henrik Pedersen

Goal scorers, Nicolas Anelka 44 mins, Andranik Teymourian 68 mins, 73 mins

Booked, Kevin Davies, Jussi Jaaskelainen, David Thompson

Referee, Uriah Rennie (South Yorkshire)

Attendance, 18,610

Charlton Athletic 1 v 0 Wigan Athletic

2007-04-02T01:29:00.000-07:00

31st March 2007

Wigan Athletic are once again staring at the relegation trap door following another controversial defeat orchestrated by yet another seemingly inept refereeing decision. Over the past few months people have been getting the message that Latics are really getting the rough end of the stick during their Premiership outings, and at times it sounds like the club is simply moaning. But when an opposing manager feels that a penalty award for his own team, in a relegation 'six pointer' was hardly 'cast iron' then you realise that Latics are indeed suffering greatly at the moment.

The game itself was a rather insipid affair with most of it spent in the middle of the park as both teams effectively cancelled the threat of each other out. Latics were in dire need of a goal scorer and Jewell's lack of strikers on the bench didn't hold much hope of a goal materialising in a crucial last quarter of the game. Folan and Heskey simply looked ineffective and the absence of Henri Camara or Julius Aghahowa on the bench must have been because they had not returned fit, or ready to play, following their international exploits earlier in the week. Heskey's record of just three goals in the last 23 Premiership games is now proving to be a thorn in the side, especially as Folan has only chipped in with goals twice in seven outings, whilst Camara has scored only six goals all season.

Blaming referee's for bad decisions is one thing, but the fact remains that the Latics front men are just not scoring enough goals and yesterday at the Valley this problem was only too plain to see.

Jewell made three changes to side that drew 0-0 against Fulham at the JJB Stadium two weeks ago. Lee McCulloch and Leighton Baines returned to their customary roles after serving suspensions, whilst Fitz Hall was played at right back following his return from a three match ban. It was the lack of attacking options on the bench that caused many raised eyebrows, because if ever Latics need a goal or two it was from this game.

And it was Hall who was adjudged to have fouled Marcus Bent in the box in the 85th minute of the game. Referee Peter Walton had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick and Darren Bent saw his penalty hit the back of the net despite a brave attempt at a save by John Filan in the goal. The final whistle once again saw Jewell confronting a referee, and sadly this is an all too common sight.

Let's hope that from now until the end of the season that we do not witness it again. Latics now stand just three points shy of the drop, two places above the relegation zone and but for a Bolton Wanderers victory over Sheffield United at the Reebok their league position would have been even more perilous.

Next week Latics must repay the Trotters by beating them at the JJB Stadium!

CHARLTON ATHLETIC, Scott Carson, Luke Young, Zhi Zheng, Talal El Karkouri, Hermann Hreidarsson, Souleymane Diawara, Matt Holland, (Darren Ambrose 71), (Amdy Faye 87), Jerome Thomas, Alexandre Song Bilong, Darren Bent, Dennis Rommedahl, (Marcus Bent 46). Subs not used, Darren Randolph, Madjid Bougherra, Darren Ambrose, Amdy Faye.

Booked, Talal El Karkouri 40 mins

Goal scorer, Darren Bent (pen) 86 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Fitz Hall, Matt Jackson, Arjan De Zeeuw, Leighton Baines, Ryan Taylor, (Luis Antonio Valencia 72), Josip Skoko, (Paul Scharner 76), Denny Landzaat, Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan, Emile Heskey. Subs not used, Carlo Nash, David Unsworth, Kevin Kilbane.

Booked, Ryan Taylor 51 mins, Fitz Hall 84 mins, Emile Heskey 88 mins

Referee, Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)

Attendance, 26,500

Wigan Athletic AGM

2007-03-28T01:03:00.000-07:00

26th March 2007

I've just returned from the Latics AGM at the stadium and aside from the usual mix of Ralph Brimelow disputing everything that’s said, Brian Sabin agreeing with everything and Brenda Spencer sat in the middle of it all in some kind of bemused state uttering the words “look how far we’ve come” and “Dave and his family all love Latics” at regular intervals I did actually come away with a little bit of positive vibe.

It does, at long last, appear that the football club now have a few people in there with the balls and the backing to do things about the issue that’s are continually raised.

While nothing concrete was said pointers to a return to the Tree and Crown badge and stripes from next season along with the vastly reduced ticket prices for season ticket holders which are being announced in the new couple of weeks were the major things given away.

On the finance issue the misleading reports that Latics are now a profitable organisation were put well and truly to bed when Brenda reiterated that we still owe the bank 28 million quid and that Whelan continues to put his hand in his pocket at an alarming rate to keep the club going, especially where transfers are concerned.

The Police issue is not sorted yet, it should be in August - but she’d forgot the exact date.

A Latics Merchandise catalogue is coming out soon but alas no Club shop is on the cards.

Latics, and Paul Hunt in particular, are lobbying the Premier League and taking the lead when it comes to the rights and wrongs of the illegal games being shown every Saturday. We, along with other clubs, are trying to get it stopped.

The recent increased Traffic Problems at the stadium are due to the Police handing over Traffic responsibilities to the Council and the latter not manning the traffic lights on a match day as the former did.

When the annual question of 'What happens when Whelan dies' came up the usual answer of “All his family are Latics fans” came out.

The possibility of a new sponsor is currently being looked at, this was raised when it was pointed out that JJB Sports currently pay us 300grand only to be the main club sponsor. This, in Premier League circles, is pitiful. Spencer did respond initially by saying “Dave’s put loads of money in and never took any out and has no intention to at this moment in time, so it’s up to him how much JJB pay us as its his company” When someone pointed out that he’s just a shareholder in the company now she agreed and said potential new sponsors had been sounded out. Make of that what you will.

Underneath the East Stand is now almost empty as the fatties are in the process of moving to Orrell, converting part of that space into a Supporters Club/ Bar has been costed and looks an option.

It was also said that M P Lindsay would be asked by B Spencer when he would be taking part in the Questions and Answers session with the fans which he promised us when he joined the board a year ago.

Apologies were received from the above mentioned leach along with the Whelan and Phil Williams, who no doubt was still congratulating himself on his speech at the Supporters Club do last Friday. Either that or still finishing it off somewhere. Doris was at a hospital appointment apparently. “Nothing minor I hope” as the bloke sat at the back of me said.

On the whole, while we are still someway off as I said at the start of the post I did actually come away from an AGM for the first time and think “Yes, maybe, just maybe things are starting to happen”.

None of the above may ever happen as I’ve been to AGM’s over a number of years and by and large it’s the same well rehearsed statements - usually along the lines of “It’s Dave’s club and he can do what he likes with it”

But for some reason, this time it did feel a bit different.

Here’s hoping.

Mark

Wigan Athletic 0 v 0 Fulham

2007-03-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

17th March 2007

Wigan Athletic really should have gained all three points on offer at the JJB Stadium on Saturday against a very ordinary looking Fulham side, who had obviously arrived with a draw in mind.

This was a very one-sided encounter with the hosts creating all the goal scoring chances, but alas, even those were few and far between.

Wigan Athletic manager, Paul Jewell, was able to recall Arjan De Zeeuw to his central defence, whilst David Unsworth deputised for the suspended Leighton Baines. Also serving a one match ban was Scotland international midfielder Lee McCulloch and it was his Republic of Ireland team mate Kevin Kilbane who stepped into his boots. Cottagers gaffer Chris Coleman stuck with the side that had drawn their last Premiership game against Aston Villa.

The first chance of the game fell to Caleb Folan in the very first minute of the game but the Republic of Ireland striker failed to connect with a good through-ball from Luis Antonio Valencia. The game slowly degenerated into a midfield tussle as the Cottagers' game plan began to become all too painfully apparent, with even Papa Bouba Diop mainly employed in a defensive role as Latics pushed for the opening goal. Denny Landzaat let fly with a speculative effort on the quarter of an hour mark, but his long range effort went high, wide and not too handsome.

Disaster struck Folan in the 26th minute when he went into a fairly mild tackle with Cottagers' defender Carlos Bucenegra in the 26th minute which resulted in the striker being stretchered off the field of play five minutes later. His loss was Henri Camara's gain, but even he was a bit ring rusty after a lengthy lay off and failed to trouble the Fulham back line for what turned out to be the remainder of the game.

It is fair to say that the introduction of a male streaker provided the highlight of the game, but even then the rainy and bitterly cold conditions meant that even he was unable to rise to the occasion!

All in all, this was one of those game you file under 'forget' but at least by the end of the day the Blues were nine points clear of a place in the relegation zone. However, Charlton Athletic won the following day to narrow the gap down to six points.

I bet you can't guess where Latics travel to in a fortnight's time?

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Ryan Taylor, Matt Jackson, Arjan De Zeeuw, David Unsworth, Luis Antonio Valencia, Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, 9Paul Scharner 78), Kevin Kilbane, Caleb Folan, (Henri Camara 31), Emile Heskey. Subs not used, Carlo Nash, Julius Aghahowa, David Cotterill.

Booked, Antonio Luis Valencia 61 mins

FULHAM, Antti Niemi, Liam Rosenior, Ian Pearce, Carlos Bocanegra, Franck Quedrue, Simon Daviesm Alexei Smertin, Michael Brown, Papa Bouba Diop, Tomasz Radzinski, (Collins John 82), Brian McBride, (Heidar Helgusson 67). Subs not used, Jans Lastuvka, Wayne Routledge, Clint Dempsey.

Referee, S Tanner (Somerset)

Attendance, 16,001

Manchester City 0 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

13th March 2007

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell named an unchanged Latics line up for this vital 'six pointer' against relegation rivals Manchester City. He stuck with the same team that beat Newcastle United 1-0 at the JJB Stadium last weekend and that meant that Caleb Folan was preferred up front to Julius Aghahowa again.

City, who had prepared for this clash with a trip to Dubai during the week must have wished they'd stayed there as Folan, the player who scored for Chesterfield against City earlier in the season to knock them out of the Carling Cup, struck again on 18 minutes to give Latics a crucial lead. It was no less than Wigan's Premier team deserved as they had squandered three chances before Emile Heskey knocked the ball to Folan who headed past a stranded Nicky Weaver to score his second Premiership goal in just five outings.

Minutes within that goal hitting the net news filtered through to Latics fans that one of their old boys, Damien Francis, had scored Watford's second goal against Charlton Athletic, who at the start of play were six points behind Latics. The visiting faithful were ecstatic and whilst the City support seemed to wither away as Latics put on a superb display with Folan and Heskey looking like they were going to score every time they were in the City area.

City's response to this was bookings to debutant Michael Ball in the 23rd minute and then Hatem Trabelsi was booked for a foul on Luis Antonio Valencia who was in excellent form on the right wing. On the half hour mark Ryan Taylor and Valencia worked really well but the final ball to Folan fell just a little short. Trabelsi limped off the field of play in the 33rd minute and was replaced by Sun Jihai, and slowly City began to start playing some better football. Joey Barton sent in a lovely cross across the Latics penalty area in the 35th minute but no City player connected with the ball and two minutes later Barton crossed a beautiful ball into the box from a corner which Micah Richards headed goal wards, but Emmerson Boyce was on hand to head the ball off the line.

As the first half ground to a close Latics were happy to let the Citizens have the majority of possession as they just were not creative enough in the final third of the pitch.

The second half started with Stuart Pearce replacing the ineffective Georgios Samaras with debutant Emile Lokonda Mpenza and it was City who started the livelier and in the 49th minute Matt Jackson latched on to a deflected DaMarcus Beasley cross to deny him a debut goal.

In the 53rd minute Latics suffered a blow when Heskey limped out of the action for the second game running to be replaced by Kevin Kilbane. This meant that Lee McCulloch was pushed up front and almost immediately he forced a save from Weaver from a sweetly struck shot from distance.

On the hour mark Barton whipped over another corner and Richards, once again failed to connect with the Latics defence static. Three minutes later Barton tried to capitalise on a Latics error on the edge of their penalty area and fortunately for Latics he sliced his effort woefully wide. Mpenza was looking lively, certainly impressing his manager on his debut as the City fans started to regain their voices as Latics were now playing far too deeply.

Emmerson Boyce, who was having a good game in the heart of the defence was injured in the 69th minute when he clashed with Richard Dunne as both players attempted to come off best with a cross floated toward the near post. He fell awkwardly and although he carried on regardless, it was obvious from the Latics bench that he was really struggling and in the 77th minute he was replaced by David Unsworth. Two minutes earlier Jewell had replaced the tiring Valencia with Nigerian striker Julius Aghahowa in an effort to put some much needed pace into an increasingly lacklustre attack.

The final ten minutes of the second half were almost a mirror image of the closing ten of the first period. City were having a lot of possession but could do nothing in front of goal. With five minutes remaining the City of Manchester Stadium home sections were emptying at an alarming rate and thousands of City's fans didn't see Michael Ball substituted in the 86th minute for Daniel Sturridge or Denny Landzaat have his shot superbly saved by Weaver two minutes before full time.

They also missed Barton crash a free kick, conceded by Leighton Baines, with just a few minutes of time added on remaining, against an eleven man Latics defence, three bookings as tempers flared on both sides and they also missed the final whistle blow on City's fourth consecutive Premiership beating by little Wigan Athletic!

The aftermath of the game saw City replacing Latics one place from the relegation trapdoor, whilst Latics found themselves leap-frogging both City and Sheffield United.

MANCHESTER CITY, Nicky Weaver, Hatem Trabelsi, (Sun Jihai 33), Sylvain Distin, Richard Dunne, Michael Ball, (Daniel Sturridge 86), Micha Richards, Joey Barton, Stephen Ireland, DaMarcus Beasley, Georgios Samaras, (Emile Lokonda Mpenza 46), Bernardo Corradi. Subs not used, Andreas Isaksson, Dietmar Hamann.

Booked, Michael Ball 23 mins, Hatem Trabelsi 29 mins, Richard Dunne 90 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Ryan Taylor, Emmerson Boyce, (David Unsworth 77), Matt Jackson, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, (Julius ASghahowa 75), Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan, Emile Heskey, (Kevin Kilbane 53). Subs not used, Carlo Nash, David Cotterill.

Goal scorer, Caleb Folan 18 mins

Booked, Leighton Baines 90 mins, Ryan Taylor 90 mins

Referee, Howard Webb (South Yorkshire)

Attendance, 41,923

Wigan Athletic 1 v 0 Newcastle United

2007-03-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

25th February 2007

Wigan Athletic found themselves six points clear of the relegation following a deserved 1-0 victory over Newcastle United at the JJB Stadium today (Sunday 25th January). In doing so they also pulled Sheffield United, Manchester City, Fulham and Aston Villa into the equation with regards to the dreaded drop into the Championship as the Blues were now just a point behind City and the Blades, whilst the Villans and the Cottagers were just three points ahead. With Latics' next game against Manchester City at Eastlands next week, this result will certainly set them in good stead for what will be another titanic 'six pointer' at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Paul Jewell kept faith with the team that drew at Watford in midweek, with the only change being an enforced one. Ryan Taylor dropped back into the right back berth that was left open following Fitz Hall's sending off against the Hornets. This meant that Luis Antonio Valencia started on the right wing, and once again, there was no place in the starting line up, or the bench, for new Nigerian striker Julius Aghahowa, with Henri Camara warming the said bench.

The game itself was a tense affair for both sets of fans and when Ryan Taylor was adjudged to have fouled Antoine Sibierski in the penalty area on the half hour mark things looked grim for the boys in blue. However, John Filan, playing only his second Premiership game of the season, following a loan spell at Doncaster Rovers and stints in the stiffs, produced a breathtaking save from Nolberto Soalano's well struck spot kick.

The match referee, Alan Wiley, who had booked Taylor and Filan for their protests about the penalty award, ensured that Latics were handed a £25,000 fine on the final whistle by booking four more Latics stars before the game was over.

However, a beautifully taken free kick by Taylor in the 40th minute meant that this was a small price to pay for three points that could ultimately see the Blues playing top flight football again next season. The goal was Taylor's first Premiership effort since he signed for the club from Tranmere Rovers in June 2005. He broke his metatarsal in January 2006 in a FA Cup game against Leeds United and in April 2006 he broke his leg in a reserve team game following his rehabilitation - against, yes you've guessed it - Newcastle United. The smile on his face was a joy to behold as the England Under 21 star had only made a handful of appearances for the club since that broken leg suffered at the Robin Park Arena.

On a darker note, whether or not six Latics players deserved bookings today is open to debate, but when you consider that Latics players were involved in only three dubious tackles all afternoon, my own opinion is that there is a trend of officials causing the Blues as much harm as they can from now until the end of the season.

I hope I'm eventually proved wrong.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Ryan Taylor, Emmerson Boyce, Matt Jackson, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, (Henri Camara 61), Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan, Emile Heskey, (Kevin Kilbane 37). Subs not used, Carlo Nash, David Unsworth, David Cotterill.

Goal scorer, Ryan Taylor 40 mins

Booked, John Filan 30 mins, Ryan Taylor 30 mins, Leighton Baines 65 mins, Lee McCulloch 71 mins, Josip Skoko 79 mins, Henri Camara 87 mins

NEWCASTLE UNITED, Shay Given, Oguchi Onyewu, Steven Taylor, Paul Huntington, (Andrew Carroll 87), Titus Bramble, Nicky Butt, Scott Parker, Damien Duff, (Charles N'Zogbia 62), Antoine Sibierski, Nolberto Salano, (James Milner 62), Obafemi Martins. Subs not used, Steve Harper, David Edgar

Booked, Nicky Butt 90 mins, Scott Parker 90 mins

Referee, Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)

Attendance, 21,179

Watford 1 v 1 Wigan Atletic

2007-03-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

21st February 2007

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell dropped Julius Aghahowa in favour of his other newbie striker Caleb Folan for this visit to Vicarage Road. In goal for the Blues was John Filan, playing his first Premiership game of the season, with new goalkeeping cover signing Carlo Nash on the bench. Apart from that, Latics were basically the same team that finished that infamous game at the Emirates Stadium ten days ago.

It was Watford who started the brightest with Leighton Baines in particular coming under pressure from a rampant Hornets front line. Former Latic Damien Francis should have done a bit better than hit the ball straight at Filan in the fourth minute and a goal then would have put Latics under the cosh with the home fans almost baying for blood! Fortunately the hosts gradually faded and it was Latics who started playing the better football and had created the best goal scoring opportunities although Emile Heskey squandered both the chances that came his way.

Disaster struck the Blues in a four minute spell with twenty minutes of the game gone. Firstly Fitz Hall was given a straight red card by referee Rob Styles, Latics' first of the season, for a decent tackle on Johan Cavalli, just how Jewell kept his cool after his Arsenal antics will forever remain a mystery. And then four minutes later Darius Henderson connected with Jordan Stewart's cross into the box, slotting the ball past a defenceless Filan.

The shock of this horrible turn of events seemed to galvanise Latics as Heskey should have done better with a 27th minute effort and then Ben Foster pulled off a fantastic double save to deny Folan and Josip Skoko. The pressure from ten man Latics was relentless and on the 39th minute mark Folan was desperately unlucky to miss from close range. However, he made up for this miss just a minute later when he scored his first goal for the club blasting a fierce shot from 12 yards out into the Hornets net that gave Foster no chance.

By the time the half time whistle blew it was Watford who were the most grateful of the two sides to hear it, and in truth the Blues should have had more than their solitary goal to show for the first 45 minutes graft.

Hornets manager Aidy Boothroyd brought on Hameur Bouazza for Cavalli at the start of the second half, hoping for a more potent threat to challenge the Latics' depleted defence, whilst Paul Jewell opted to leave things as they were. It was the hosts who should have gone in front with just a minute of the second period underway and it came as something of a relief that Henderson failed to tuck away a good cross from Adrian Mariappa.

The Hornets were laying siege to the Latics goal for the opening ten minutes and Malky McKay also missed a goal scoring opportunity early doors. All Latics had to show was a weak cross by Folan collected by Foster with 52 minutes on the clock.

In the 55th minute Folan was replaced by Kevin Kilbane as Jewell decided to beef up his midfield to try to put an end to a Hornets purple spell. It seemed to do the trick and just before the hour mark Denny Landzaat was unlucky not to score from a header from 12 yard during a rare Latics foray into the Watford area and within minutes the Hornets had Jay Demerit to thank for blocking a dangerous Leighton Baines cross into the danger area. Boothroyd introduced Will Hoskins into the game in the 61st minute in place of Steve Kabba and two minutes later Landzaat was again unlucky not to give the visitors the lead with a 20 yard effort and it was now the blue shirted team piling on the pressure.

Kilbane tried to 'do a Landzaat' in the 71st minute but his thirty yard effort was dealt with comfortable by Foster. The goalkeeper was fortunate just two minutes later when he blocked another Landzaat goal attempt with defender Gavin Mahon blocking Lee McCulloch's follow up.

Bouazza, who was failing to live up to his billing as super sub was booked with just fifteen minutes remaining and Henderson let fly with a 20 yard shot that sailed over Filan's bar on the 80 minute mark. Just two minutes later Bouazza tried a speculative effort from 30 yards, forcing a good save out of the Wigan keeper as Latics were feeling the effects of being down to ten men for all but twenty minutes of the game.

McCulloch was booked after 83 minutes as frustrations and tension began to mount and it was Watford who had the last real efforts on goal. With three minutes remaining, Filan easily collected a 12 yard effort from Tommy Smith whilst Henderson blazed over the bar with the goal at his mercy in the 90th minute.

The point picked up by both teams was certainly more beneficial to Latics as they went six points clear of West Ham United who occupy the last relegation spot. Watford remain rooted to the bottom with just 19 points.

WATFORD, Ben Foster, Jordan Stewart, Jay Demerit, Malky McKay, Adrian Mariappa, Damien Francis, Johan Cavalli, (Hameur Bouazza 46), Gavin Mahon, Darius Henderson, Tommy Smith, Steve Kabba, (Will Hoskins 61). Subs not used, Alhassan Bangura, Lloyd Doyley, Tamas Priskin, Will Hoskins.

Goal scorer, Darius Henderson 24 mins

Booked, Hameur Bouazza 76 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, John Filan, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, Matt Jackson, Leighton Baines, Ryan Taylor, Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan, (Kevin Kilbane 55), Emile Heskey. Subs not used, Carlo Nash, David Unsworth, Luis Antonio Valencia, Henri Camara.

Goal scorer, Caleb Folan 40 mins

Booked, Lee McCulloch 83 mins

Sent off, Fitz Hall 20 mins

Referee, Rob Styles (Hampshire)

Attendance, 18,338

Arsenal 2 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

11th February 2007

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell will more than likely be fined by the FA over his comments about the most inept referee ever to grace the game, certainly when it comes to officiating Latics games.

Phil Dowd allowed a pulsating game, that Latics should have won, to dissolve into mayhem by booking six players with just eight minutes of the game remaining, ignoring a blatant penalty when Emile Heskey was brought down in the box by Matthieu Flamini. He then allowed Arsenal a one man advantage and an offside goal in order to equalise, and capped off a truly memorable display by his standards, by allowing a second Arsenal goal that was also offside. And according to some media sources, Dowd was heard to swear at certain Latics players, yet he will receive nothing but support by an organisation that is itself nothing short of a laughing stock and makes vast sums of money by fining the victims of their referee's mistakes, just ask Graeme Souness's missus!

I'm sorry, but the old adage of 'the referee is always right' has got to be scrapped and it is now time to use video technology. As Paul Jewell said during his post match interview that defeat and those appalling refereeing decisions could cost Wigan Athletic AFC about £50.000.000 should Latics be relegated by finishing a point below the fourth from bottom placed team in a few months time. For a start, there is too much riding on refereeing decisions in these days of Premiership football, decisions which could make the difference between your team aspiring to the highs of Chelsea, or the lows of Leeds United.

The argument about where to re start play should video referees be used is a problem for the powers that be to sort out. The simple solution (from just a normal fan who has been a supporter of the game for thirty five years) would be to just kick off the game again after any contentious decision. After all, there are not usually that many during a game, unless of course the referee is Phil Dowd! Surely the FA can now waste millions of pounds to employ someone to come up with the same solution and bring in the new technology required? The cost can be recouped by managers of Premiership football teams being fined willy nilly whilst current refereeing methods continue for a season or so!

The game was witnessed by a sell out crowd of 60.094 and if any of those fans present can deny that Latics were cheated then they aren't true fans of the game. As for the game itself, it goes down as one of the most memorable games that Latics have ever taken part in. Phil Dowd notwithstanding, the Latics team competed on a very level playing field and it would have been hard for any neutral to guess which team was competing for a Champions League place and the one in a relegation scrap.

The first goal, a thirty yard screamer from Holland midfielder Denny Landzaat in the 35th minute was worthy of winning the game and that should truly have been the case but for an unbelievable last ten minutes orchestrated by the Staffordshire official and an inept linesman.

80 mins - Flamini, the last line of defence, blatantly brings down Heskey in the penalty area. The referee's assistant keeps his flag down despite being right in line with the incident. Dowd decides not to award the decision in Latics' favour when to have done so would have seen the Gunners down to ten man and Latics undoubtedly winning the game whether the resultant penalty would have been converted or not.

80.30 mins - Josip Skoko is on the touchline waiting to be reintroduced to the game. Jewell AND THE FOURTH OFFICIAL are at a loss as to why Dowd has not let him onto the pitch.

81 mins - Flamini, who should not even be on the pitch, sends a through ball into the Latics area from an offside position which Fitz Hall connects with after Henry knocks the ball onto his foot, to give the Gunners their equaliser.

82 mins - Thierry Henry, a world class player, resorts to Sunday League football tactics by trying to get Chris Kirkland booked for time wasting, for which the Frenchman is booked.

83 mins - Dowd decides to even things up with regard to yellow cards by booking Lee McCulloch.

84 mins - Tomas Rosicky, also in an offside position, powers a header past a stunned Latics defence to win the game for Arsenal.

85 mins - Dowd tries to appease Jewell and the travelling Latics fans by booking Rosicky for his goal celebrations, it's a joke!

86 mins - Tempers are fraying and Dowd is swearing and has now lost all control of the game. Jens Lehmann deliberately wastes well over a minute of the game by retrieving the ball, chatting to a ball boy and bouncing the ball on an advertisement board!

88 mins - He's booked and will miss the Carling Cup Final, Arsenal are already in the act of trying to get the card rescinded.

89 mins - Cheated and hurt Jewell brings on Kevin Kilbane in an effort to claw something from the game. Luis Antonio Valencia also replaces a distraught Ryan Taylor. Cesc Fabregas and Gel Clichy are booked. Jewell replaces Hall with Kristofer Haestad but the game is already lost despite Chris Kirkland playing up front for the last minute of the game.

FULL TIME - Arsene Wenger did not see any of the controversial decisions that ensured a very luck victory for his team!

ARSENAL, Jens Lehmann, Gael Clichy, Johan Djourou, (Emmanuel Adebayor 51), Justin Hoyte, (Jeremie Aliadiere 67), Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Julio Cesar Baptista, Tomas Rosicky, Gilberto Silva, Theo Walcott, (Matthieu Flamini 67), Thierry Henry. Subs not used, Manuel Rivero Almunia, Pereira Neves Denilson.

Goal scorers, Fitz Hall (og) 81 mins, Tomas Rosicky 85 mins

Booked, Kolo Toure 30 mins, Thierry Henry 82 mins, Jens Lehmann 86 mins, Gael Clichy 90 mins, Cesc Fabregas 90 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Fitz Hall, (Kristofer Haestad 90), Emmerson Boyce, Matt Jackson, Leighton Baines, Ryan Taylor, (Luis Antonio Valencia 87), Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, Lee McCulloch, Julius Aghahowa, (Kevin Kilbane 87), Emile Heskey. Subs not used, John Filan, David Unsworth.

Goal scorer, Denny Landzaat 35 mins

Booked, Leighton Baines 58 mins, Lee McCulloch 82 mins, Fitz Hall 90 mins

Referee, Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

Attendance, 60,094

Wigan Athletic 1 v 0 Portsmouth

2007-03-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

3rd February 2007

Wigan Athletic looked a totally different team at the JJB Stadium against Portsmouth. They played with passion, commitment and enthusiasm as they silenced the Pompey chimes in epic fashion. A major contribution to this were the home debuts given out to strike pair Julius Aghahowa and Caleb Folan and the inspirational, true grit of Latics legend Lee McCulloch.

Another factor of this great victory were the fans who had turned out on a bitterly cold, foggy day to witness a team struggling at the foot of the table was nothing short of magnificent. They encouraged the team from the first whistle until the last and the atmosphere created by fans, determined to see their team through a difficult season, was brilliant. The players responded magnificently and the after match celebrations were a joy to behold. The players, and the 14.000 hard core Wigan fans celebrated together. It felt special.

Perusal of the team sheet before kick off held a surprise as Leighton Baines wasn't on it due to a training ground injury and his place on the left side of defence was taken by David Unsworth. As expected Nigerian international striker Aghahowa was given his debut, whilst Folan made his home debut as well. McCulloch had recovered from an injury picked up at Reading in mid week and if he was disappointed with missing out on a move to his dream club, Rangers, it certainly didn't show.

Before kick off there was a minutes silence impeccably observed by both sets of fans for Latics President Stan 'Mr Wigan Athletic' Jackson, who sadly passed away earlier in the week and hopefully he was looking down on one of the major loves of his life as they then commenced to tear Portsmouth to shreds.

Harry Redknapp had made three changes to the team that had drawn against Middlesbrough in midweek, dropping Djimi Traore, Matt Taylor and Gary O'Neill, replacing them with Noe Paramot, Richard Hughes and Rodolf Douala.

Portsmouth just didn't perform on the day and only two of their players, Sol Campbell and Linvoy Primus looking 'up for it'. As early as the fourth minute both Folan and McCulloch had had efforts on target. Two minutes later Emmerson Boyce did well to stop Benjani Mwaruwari from bearing down on goal, but after that it was all Latics. Aghahowa and Luis Antonio Valencia were causing all sorts of problems for Pompey and there was a major scare for goalkeeper David James who handled outside his box in the 24th minute, but referee Graham Poll, to James' relief, whistled for a Folan offside run instead which was the first offence.

By the half hour mark the pace of the game had slowed down a touch, but it was still Latics doing all the pressing for an elusive home goal. And in the 31st minute Folan saw himself through on goal with only James to beat, or so he thought. Just as he was about to pop the ball into the net Campbell made one of his trademark tackles to nick the ball from Folan's foot. The last fifteen minutes saw Latics roared on by the crowd as they assaulted the Pompey goal area, but all of the effort only resulted in a booking for the impressive Ryan Taylor just before Poll blew the half time whistle.

Half time brought news that both West Ham United and Charlton Athletic were losing and whether or not this gave Latics the jitters as the second half got underway is unknown. The second period was a more even affair, but you still sensed that Wigan had just enough to come out on top. There was a scare in the 48th minute when Taylor stopped the marauding Glen Johnson with a thunderous tackle. There was a collective sharp intake of breath from both the players and the crowd, to the relief of all Poll adjudged the tackle to be hard but fair saving Taylor the second yellow card.

England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland saved Taylor's bacon with five minutes of the second period played when he saved from Rodlof Douala who had ghosted pat Latics' right back as if he wasn't there. Redknapp made his first substitution two minutes later, replacing the ineffective Lauren with Lomana Lua Lua, but he too had little impact on a Latics defence that was as solid as a rock for the most part with Unsworth snuffing out every threat down the left flanks with ease.

With Taylor looking as though he was fearing the red card, Jewell decided to bring on Fitz Hall for Valencia on the hour mark, thus relieving Taylor from the risk of walking for a mistimed tackle and sticking him in midfield whilst Hall took on his defensive duties. Eight minutes later it was Hall who was instrumental in Latics taking the lead. The ball was played into the Pompey area and Hall laid off the ball for the incoming McCulloch who steamed onto the ball and lashed a superb shot past a helpless James. Three sides of the JJB ground erupted as the big Scot became the joint third highest JJB Stadium goal scorer, with 44 league goals to his name, behind Andy Liddell and Nathan Ellington. McCulloch clearly loves scoring past James as he has done it twice against him this season and also scored the winner at the City of Manchester Stadium last season!

Redknapp, who was getting more and more frustrated in his technical area brought on Andy Cole for Kanu in the 70th minute and then Matt Taylor for Noe Paramot three minutes later as he tried to claw something from the game. But it was still Latics who were creating the better chances with Aghahowa's pace a constant thorn in the Pompey sides. He was given a standing ovation when he was substituted by Andreas Johnasson after running himself into the ground with six minutes remaining, by which time Portsmouth were a well beaten team.

With West Ham United losing at Aston Villa, the result left Latics five points clear of them, with a game in hand. Add this to the fact that Charlton Athletic, Watford and Sheffield United were also beaten and you realise this was a very good day for all concerned at Wigan Athletic AFC.Stan, this one was for you!

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Ryan Taylor, Emmerson Boyce, Matt Jackson, David Unsworth, Luis Antonio Valencia, (Fitz Hall 61), Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan, Julius Aghahowa, (Andreas Johansson 85). Subs not used, John Filan, Kristofer Haestad, Kevin Kilbane.

Goal scorer, Ryan Taylor 44 mins

Booked, Lee McColloch 68 mins

PORTSMOUTH, David James, Glen Johnson, Linvoy Primus, Noe Pamarot, (Matt Taylor 74), Lauren, (Lomana Lua Lua 52), Pedro Mendes, Richard Hughes, Rodolf Douala, Nwankwo Kanu, (Andy Cole 71), Benjani Mwaruwari Subs not used, Jamie Ashdown, Sean Davis.

Referee, Graham Poll (Hertfordshire)

Attendance, 15,093

Reading 3 v 2 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

30th January 2007

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell has overseen the breaking of more than a few records during his tenure at the JJB Stadium. However, if the result was to go against his team at the Madejski Stadium he would be the manager holding the most unpleasant record of being the boss with the most consecutive defeats since Latics' election into the Football League in 1978. Latics started this game on the back of seven consecutive league defeats against a Reading team riding high in the Premiership with a very good home record which has seen them virtually safe from relegation following their promotion into the top flight in May last year.

Jewell opted to give a full debut to new signing Caleb Folan in place of Kevin Kilbane, whilst Emmerson Boyce was converted to centre half for the game to accommodate the welcome return of Ryan Taylor at right back. Steve Coppell, who had signed a former Latics transfer target, Colchester United centre back Greg Halford, before kick off fielded the team that has served him well all season, although Dave Kitson was on the bench following his recent recovery from injury.

With Latics needing a victory to stave off the very frightening prospect of relegation Latics could not have got off to a better start when former England hit man Emile Heskey hit a superb volley from the left hand side of the Royals penalty area which gave Marcus Hahnemann no chance. The goal for Heskey, the 99th of his league career, was long overdue and it gave Latics' black shirted three man attack force the early impetus, with Folan in particular looking up for the challenge of claiming a place in the starting line up on a regular basis. As early as the thirteenth minute he almost claimed a debut goal, but his spinning volley clipped the Reading bar.

Reading gradually clawed their way back into the game and Steve Sidewell was unfortunate to see his teasing cross fly over the Wigan bar on the quarter hour mark. Eight minutes later the Royals wasted a gilt edged chance to equalise, but Leroy Lita headed over the bar when it would have been easier top score. Latics fought back and Folan was just a fraction of connecting with a through ball from Heskey to put Latics two goals up before Sidwell failed to capitalise on an error from Chris Kirkland when he scooped the ball that the keeper had fumbled wide of the Latics goal with 28 minutes of the game gone.

Reading were not to be denied though and just two minutes later they equalised courtesy of an Ivor Ingimarsson header following a jinking run past the Latics defence and a beautiful cross by Lita which Ingimarsson connected with perfectly. The goal spurred Reading on and for the remainder of the half Latics found themselves under almost constant pressure, with Kirkland called on to save a rasping shot from Glen Little that would have put Reading ahead in the 35th minute, and it was with great relief that they went in at half time with the score still 1-1. Especially given Latics' recent spate of conceding goals in time added on at the end of half or full time.

Within minutes of the restart, during which neither manager made any tactical changes, Leighton Baines crossed the ball into the Reading box and Folan, once again, failed to connect to score a dream debut goal. Within a minute Little again let rip with a thunderous shot from long range effort which Kirkland saved competently, although he had a let off with Readings' next attack when Sidwell struck a shot into the ground and wide of the post.

It was third time lucky for the Royals though, who sent their fans wild when Shane Long, returning from injury, rattled the ball past Kirkland after Stephen Hunt's chip into the danger area, and suddenly Latics were looking very vulnerable indeed. After a five minute spell of Reading pressure it was Latics who had the next opportunity to score, but a Heskey effort was gathered at the second attempt by Hahnemann. That proved to be his last match action as he was replaced on the hour mark by Kevin Kilbane as Jewell decided to opt for a McCulloch and Folan front two with the former Everton man slipping into the berth left open by McCulloch.

The introduction of Kilbane saw Latics up the pace a little and McCulloch, called up into the Scotland squad earlier in the day, was unlucky not to latch on to a through ball from the lively Baines. But the response from Reading was almost instant with Little firing a shot across the Wigan goal, fortunately, there was no Reading player available to latch on to it.

McCulloch was substituted by Jewell in the 66th minute, and an attack that started with a three man strike force was reduced to just one, and he was a raw recruit, making his debut after being signed from Chesterfield! Then just two minutes Jewell brought on Matt Jackson for David Unsworth.

It really was backs to the wall now for the men in black and but for some sloppy play from an over confident Reading side the deficit could have been more than one goal. To their credit, Latics refused to give up on the game and with ten minutes remaining news filtered through that West Ham United had been beaten by Liverpool at Upton Park which meant that at least Wigan would still be clear of the relegation zone no matter how this game finished.

Coppell replaced the tiring Shane Long with his talisman striker Dave Kitson in the 81st minute and from that moment on you sensed that Latics would not get anything from the game. Within a minute he was bearing down on the Wigan goal and but for a scuffed shot the deficit would have been two goals, putting an end to the game. However, when you are down there is no respite and when Lita scored from an offside position with two minutes remaining Latics' misery was complete despite Denny Landzaat scoring a second goal for Latics with just seconds of the game remaining.

By the time the final whistle blew Latics realised that Sheffield United had gone five points clear of them and it looked like it was now any one of four teams (Wigan Athletic, West Ham United, Charlton and Watford) destined to fight the drop from now on. And with the awful club record of eight consecutive Premiership beatings hanging over them, times are hard at the JJB Stadium.

READING, Marcus Hahnemann, Ivar Ingimarsson, Andre Stephane-Bikey, Graeme Murty, Nicky Shorey, James Harper, Glen Little, Stephen Hunt, Steve Sidwell, Shane Long, (Dave Kitson 81), Leroy Lita. Subs not used, Alex Pearce, Adam Federici, John Oster, Ulises De La Cruz.

Goal scorers, Ivor Ingimarsson 31 mins, Shane Long 51 mins, Leroy Lita 88 mins

Booked, Shane Long 58 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Ryan Taylor, Emmerson Boyce, David Unsworth, (Matt Jackson 68), Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, Lee McCulloch, (Andreas Johansson 66), Caleb Folan, Emile Heskey, (Kevin Kilbane 59). Subs not used, John Filan, Andreas Granqvist.

Goal scorers, Emile Heskey 3 mins, Denny Landzaat 90 mins

Booked, Caleb Folan 71 mins

Referee, Steve Bennett (Kent)

Attendance, 18,149

Wigan Athletic 0 v 2 Everton

2007-03-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

22nd January 2007

A very ordinary looking Everton team came away from the JJB Stadium with their first ever league win over a sorry Wigan Athletic side that looks destined for the drop.

Over fourteen thousand Wiganer's in attendance could not believe the third rate football put on show, which consisted purely of long balls punted forward to the front men who were easily marshalled by the Toffee's back four. The team looked incompetent from start to finish and it was only in the third minute of stoppage time that Everton goalkeeper, Tim Howard had to make a save.

Emile Heskey was just about the only player to emerge from this shambles with any credit, although he hardly set the game alight, however, in his defence there wasn't a ball played to his feet throughout the 96 minutes that the game was played. Lee McCulloch looked to have his mind more focussed on how Rangers were getting on and looking forward to teaming up with his mate Barry Ferguson in the next few days and Fitz Hall was, well, Fitz Hall.

The Latics team line up was somewhat surprising as both the new Scandinavian signings (touted as the club's saviours) were not featured, although Andreas Granqvist did make it onto the bench. David Unsworth though became the mainstay of the back four despite being signed 'just in case'! There was a welcome return to first team duty from Luis Antonio Valencia who did reasonably well despite having to be replaced with David Cotterill late in the second half due to tiredness creeping into his game.

The score line suggests that a decent Everton side overcame stubborn little Wigan, but this is far from the truth. Everton's first goal came courtesy of a well struck Mikel Arteta penalty in the 65th minute, and that was Everton's first shot on target. The Toffee's had lost Andy Johnson just five minutes earlier due to injury and this should have been seized on by Latics as some sort of incentive to inflict some damage on Everton, but it wasn't to be because the team, as stated by Denny Landzaat this season, is unable to play the ball on the ground. The second Arteta goal came in the ...

(go on, have a guess, which minute it came in!).

One pleasing aspect of the game was the introduction of Ryan Taylor who combined well with David Cotterill on the right hand side of the park, and if the team can just muster a win from somewhere, perhaps the fans would see them playing with a lot more confidence and self belief. At the very worst, at least Latics will have a decent right sided pairing in the Championship next season.

Paul Jewell needs fresh blood in the team now to avoid the drop, it is as simple as that. The Wigan fans, who have been subject to a few verbal attacks from their own club this season should be applauded to turn up in their thousands to watch this dross being served up as football.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, (Ryan Taylor 65), David Unsworth, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, (David Cotterill 78), Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Lee McCulloch. Subs not used, John Filan, Andreas Granqvist, Andreas Johnasson.

EVERTON, Tim Howard, Phil Neville, Joseph Yobo, Alan Stubbs, Joleon Lescott, Mikel Arteta, Leon Osman, Lee Carsley, Tim Cahill, (James Beattie 88), Simon Davies, Andy Johnson, (Victor Anichebe 60). Subs not used, Richard Wright, Andy Van Der Meyde, Allesandro Pistone.

Goal scorer, Mikel Arteta (pen) 65 mins, 90 mins

Referee, Howard Webb (South Yorkshire)

Attendance, 18, 149

Chelsea 4 v 0 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

13th January 2007

Absolutely gutted because of a fifty yard free kick that nobody in the entire Latics team made an effort to clear that finds its way into the Latics net, an unbelievably bad back pass from debutant Kristofer Heastad resulted in a second goal 'gift' for Robben, an own goal by Kirky. AND ANOTHER GOAL SCORED IN 'TIME ADDED ON' AT THE END OF THE BLUDDY GAME!

Not a single Latics shot on target all game.In addition, a 'veteran' defender brought to the club purely as a last resort 'back up' plays a game as soon as it is humanly possible to do so after his signing, an unfit player takes part in the game and our only recognised striker is substituted by a centre midfielder. In addition hard core Latics fans start leaving Stamford Bridge with fifteen minutes of the game remaining.

Can things get any worse?

CHELSEA, Henrique Hilario, Paulo Ferreira, (Geremi 85), Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Essien, Wayne Bridge, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Claude Makele, Salomon Kalou, (Jon Obi Mikel 81), Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben (Ben Sarhar 81). Subs not used, Carlo Cudicini, Shaun Wright Pillips.

Goal scorers, Frank Lampard 13 mins, Arjen Robben 63 mins, Chris Kirkland (og) 70 mins, Didier Drogba 90 mins

Booked, Didier Drogba 74 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, David Unsworth, Leighton Baines, David Cotterill, (Ryan Taylor 65), Josip Skoko, Kristofer Haestad, (Denny Landzaat 73), Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, (Andreas Johnasson 77), Lee McCulloch. Subs not used, John Filan, Thomasz Cywka.

Booked, Lee McCulloch 26 mins, David Cotterill 32 mins, Kristofer Heastad 50 minsReferee,

M Atkinson (West Yorkshire)

Attendance, 40,846

Portsmouth 2 v 1 Wigan Athletic (FA Cup 3rd Round)

2007-03-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

16th January 2007

Wigan Athletic knew they were in for a battle during this game and Portsmouth's team line up confirmed their fears. Whilst Pompey fielded a virtual full strength team the Blues were once again chopped and changed.

Chris Kirkland was rested and his place in goal was taken by Mike Pollitt, with John Filan taking his place on the bench. There was no Arjan De Zeeuw, but his place was taken by debutant Andreas Granqvist. Lee McCulloch was back in the team following his three match suspension and partnered Emile Heskey up front as David Cotterill played in the right wing berth with Gary Teale on the bench.

Once again, the Blues were toothless, often chasing shadows and just how Pompey didn't go in at the break in full control of the game was more by luck than judgement. Mike Pollitt produced three fine saves, denying a rampant Portsmouth front line that was shooting at will, whilst loan signing Granqvist did very well to clear off the line as well. The Blues' only effort on goal fell to Heskey whose shot was easily saved by former England goalkeeper David James.

Harry Redknapp replaced Benjani Mwaruwari with Nwanko Kanu at half time, obviously hoping to spruce up his front line which had struggled to convert their chances in the first period. This plan seemed to have backfired for the first eighteen minutes of the second half as the game became a tense affair with neither team prepared to take any chances, but then Andy Cole burst into life to stun Latics by putting Portsmouth into the lead.

Two minutes later Latics' other loanee, Andreas Haestad, replaced Denny Landzaat as Paul Jewell tried to beef up his almost non existent midfield. Then four minutes after that he opted to replace the hapless Kevin Kilbane with Gary Teale in an attempt to inject a bit of pace into the team. And with only a goalkeeper and two defenders left on the bench, it really was Latics' last chance of taking something from the game. But it was the hosts who almost took a two goal lead but for another excellent save from Pollitt Sean Davis. Andreas Johansson had a half hearted attempt at goal and then Redknapp introduced former Latic David Thompson into the proceedings as he came on for Niko Kranjcar in the 79th minute.

Jewell's response was to make his third change of the game, tiring debutant Granqvist being replaced by Matt Jackson on the 80 minute mark.

Just three minutes later Gary Teale broke down the right wing and he passed a sublime ball into the path of Lee McCulloch who half volleyed beautifully into the roof of the net to stun the Pompey faithful. However, with the last kick off the match (when else?) Latics conceded a goal to finish the game off with Kanu slamming the ball past Pollitt.

The only saving grace for followers of both teams in the sparse crowd is that at least they don't have to see it all again at the JJB Stadium in the middle of next week.

PORTSMOUTH, David James, Linvoy Primus, Matt Taylor, Sol Campbell, Glen Johnson, Niko Kranjcar, (David Thompson 79), Gary O'Neill, Pedro Mendes, Sean Davis, Andy Cole, Benjani Mwaruwari, (Nwankwo Kanu 46). Subs not used, Jamie Ashdown, Andy O'Brien, Andy Griffin.

Goal scorers, Andy Cole 64 mins, Nwankwo Kanu 90 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Mike Pollitt, Emmerson Boyce, Andreas Granqvist, (Matt Jackson 80), Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, David Cotterill, Denny Landzaat, (Kristofer Haestad 66), Andreas Johansson, Kevin Kilbane, (Gary Teale 70), Lee McCulloch, Emile Heskey. Subs not used, John Filan, David Wright.

Goal scorers, Lee McCulloch 83 mins

Booked, Fitz Hall 82 mins

Referee, Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

Attendance, 14,336

Wigan Athletic 0 v 3 Blackburn Rovers

2007-03-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

1st January 2007

Wigan Athletic turned in a woeful display to bring in the new year, and if performances don't improve half of the year 2007 will most certainly see the club playing Championship level football.

This was one of the most shambolic displays seen for many a year. Considering that the game was a typical 'six pointer', the lack of fight and backbone displayed by Latics was unbelievable. Considering that it was these very qualities that were the mainstay in last season's team, manager Paul Jewell must now make this problem his number on priority to resolve. Because, in my own opinion, this team is not going to have the bottle for a relegation fight.

Admittedly, the squad is stretched due to injuries and the suspension of Lee McCulloch but there was not a single player on the pitch who looked even remotely like taking the game to Blackburn, who are far from a good team themselves. The team more or less picked itself and you would have thought that the players would have been in the mood to show the gaffer that, with the expected incoming transfers, they were still worthy of being considered for first team selection every week. Most of them are clearly not.

For the opening half hour of the game Latics were actually playing some good football, with Blackburn looking very ordinary indeed. However, when the visitors scored in the 37th minute courtesy of an own goal from Emile Heskey, and against the run of play, the hosts went to pieces.

All that Latics had offered in the first period was a well struck shot from Denny Landzaat which was excellently saved by Brad Friedel, little did the Wigan fans know then that this was to be their team's only worthwhile effort at goal.

Both managers made changes at half time, Jewell opted to bring on defender David Wright in place of natural midfielder Josip Skoko to boost the midfield, whilst Mark Hughes replaced Shabani Nonda with goal scoring substitute Matt Derbyshire, who gleefully rifled a 58th minute shot past Kirkland to effectively win the game for Rovers.

In a bid to win the game, if that's what it was, half of the team were then switched out of position. Admittedly Heskey was for most of the game anyway, helping out a shaky defence and considering that he is now the only fit striker at the club, that is a disgrace. The fans were then treated to seeing Wright switch to left back and Leighton Baines moved to the centre of midfield, a position that he has never played in! Johansson was huffing and puffing up front and his natural position is in the middle of the park. Landzaat just went missing completely, whilst Kevin Kilbane was about as much use as a ham and egg slice in a synagogue.

Latics' misery was complete when Bennie McCarthy stuck away a 76th minute penalty and by the time the referee's assistant declared that there was to be three minutes of 'time added on', almost half of the near 15,000 crowd had gone home in disgust. It must be said that if there were any casual fans in the crowd, then this display certainly will have put them off coming the the JJB Stadium for a long time.

It is quite ironic that Jewell and Dave Whelan have criticised the Wigan public for their apathy in the past, but this apathetic performance by the team will hurt Wigan Athletic a lot more seriously than a few thousand of the well known fickle local sports fans.

The arrivals of Andreas Granqvist and Norwegian international midfielder Kristofer Haestad can only help the situation, providing that both of them are slightly different than Jewell's other foreign signings, in that they are fit and ready to play immediately. It promises to be a frustrating January as a team one place above the Premiership trap door attempts to bring in the top quality players that must guarantee Premiership survival.

Unbelievably, a lot of fans are wondering whether it is time for a management change at the club. This is totally ludicrous. Paul Jewell, if he is to be judged at all, should be at the end of the season, and not a day before. Good managers and teams don't become bad ones over night and the Jewell knockers should ask themselves this.

..... who would we get that could do a better job than Jagger? Dowie? Robson? No thanks.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, David Cotterill, Josip Skoko, (David Wright 46), Denny Landzaat, Kevin Kilbane, Andreas Johansson, Emile Heskey. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson, Gary Teale, Tomasz Cywka.

BLACKBURN ROVERS, Brad Feiedel, Brett Emerton, Stephane Henchoz, (Andy Todd 73), Durab Khizanishvili, Lucas Neill, David Bentley, Robbie Savage, Aaron Mokoena, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Shabani Nonda, (Matt Derbyshire 46), Benni McCarthy, (Paul Gallagher77). Subs not used, Jason Brown, Tugay Kerimoglu

Goal scorers, Emile Heskey (og) 37 mins, Matt Derbyshire 58 mins, Benni McCarthy (pen) 76 mins

Booked, David Bentley, Stephane Henchoa, Duran Khizanishvili, Aaron Mokoena, Lucas Neill

Referee, Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear)

Attendance, 14,964

Watford 1 v 1 Wigan Athletic (Abandoned)

2007-03-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

30th December 2006

Wigan Athletic made three changes for this crucial fixture at Vicarage Road. Arjan De Zeeuw came back into the central defence whilst Gary Teale was dropped to the bench to accommodate David Cotterill and Denny Landzaat was recalled into the midfield. And although the Blues were now down to the bare bones, Lee McCulloch was serving the last game of a three match ban. For the Hornets, Danny Shittu came through a late fitness unscathed, although Clarke Carlisle and Marlon King remained on the sidelines, whilst former Latic, Damien Francis was named among the Watford substitutes.

It was Watford who started the brightest at a soaking Vicarage Road with the Latics defence being put under a lot of pressure and as early as the second minute Chris Kirkland in the Wigan goal was fortunate that an Anthony McNamee shot skimmed the face of his goal with no Hornets player on hand to provide a simple tap in that would have opened the scoring. Two minutes late a Jordan Stewart free kick caused havoc in the Wigan penalty area which the defence eventually cleared.

Gradually Latics got into the game and Svetoslav Todorov, playing his last game for the club before returning to Portsmouth, had the ball in the Watford net nut not before running into an offside position before placing the ball past Ben Foster.

It was former England striker Emile Heskey who drew first blood scoring totally against the run of play in the 23rd minute when he latched on to a superb through ball from Kevin Kilbane. The goal deflated the Watford team who had been on top until the goal and on the half hour mark they should have drawn level but McNamee's shot was saved by Kirkland, shortly after David Cotterill had had a superb shot saved by Foster.

These two incidents gave the Hornets back some self belief and it came as no surprise, especially to the Wigan fans, that once again an opposing team scored in the final minute of a half. The grateful recipient of yet another Latics lack of concentration at this crucial time was Tamas Priskin as he headed home a Stewart cross that was delivered perfectly into the Latics' rain soaked penalty area. Paul Jewell was once again livid, and no doubt the players were given a roasting in the dressing room for what was a dreadful opening 45 minutes.

Both managers made no changes for the second half although Jewell must have been ruing the unavailability of both his new signings, Andreas Granqvist and Kristofer Haestad. Aidy Boothroyd decided to stick with Shittu in defence despite him looking in discomfort for most of the first half.

Latics had a penalty shout when Todorov went down in the Watford area in the 48th minute but referee Steve Tanner was far from convinced. The Vicarage Road pitch was becoming detrimental to any good football being played due to the very wet conditions and despite Latics looking much improved after the restart Jewell was having words with the fourth official, Graham Poll, about the state of the waterlogged pitch and within a minute play was suspended for ten minutes as the ground staff tried in vain to clear the vast quantities of water on the playing surface.

Both Jewell and Boothroyd came out during the break and both managers seemed agreed that the match could no longer be played in appropriate conditions and it came as no surprise at all when the match was called off. The official reason was that it was abandoned for the safety of the players.

WATFORD, Ben Foster, Jordan Stewart, Danny Shittu, Jay Demerit, Adrian Mariappa, Anthony McNamee, Alhassan Bangura, Gavin Mahon, Ashley Young, Tamas Priskin, Tommy Smith. Subs not used, Richard Lee, Lloyd Doyley, Damien Francis, Albert Jarrett, Darius Henderson.

Goal scorer, Tamas Priskin 44 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, David Wright, Leighton Baimes, David Cotterill, Josip Skoko, Denny Landzaat, Kevin Kilbane, Svetoslav Todorov, Emile Heskey. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson, Fitz Hall, Gary Teale, Andreas Johansson.

Goal scorer, Emile Heskey 23 mins

Booked, Svetoslav Todorov 47 mins

Referee, Steve Tanner (Somerset)

Manchester United 3 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

26th December 2006

Wigan Athletic arrived at Old Trafford decimated by injuries (Arjan De Zeeuw, Luis Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, Henri Camara), and a suspension for Lee McCulloch. Manager Paul Jewell must have been a relieved man when he found out that Sir Alex Ferguson had left Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Saha on the bench, not only that, but Rio Ferdinand wasn't even named in the squad.

Ferguson has never been one to take any team lightly, and the first twelve minutes of the game seemed to justify his team selection as Chris Kirkland pulled off two saves in quick succession from Wayne Rooney and then Paul Scholes as the game was played exclusively in the Wigan half. Latics' first real chance of note came on the quarter hour mark when a cross from Gary Teale was met by Emile Heskey, but the former England hit man headed wide.

The Red Devils were certainly causing the Blues lots of problems as they were obviously lifted by the news that their nearest rivals, Chelsea, had already been held 2-2 at Stamford Bridge by Reading. It looked unlikely that Latics would pull off such a good result as within a minute of Heskey's effort Rooney only just failed to open the scoring for United.

However, by the half hour mark it seemed that the stubborn Latics defence (which was effectively six men strong) had silenced the lively United front men and the Old Trafford crowd, previously in high spirits, had been quietened down. Rooney in particular started to look frustrated and he had resorted to shooting from distance. In the 33rd minute Rooney did break through the Latics rearguard, but Kirkland raced off his line before he could unleash his shot.

With Bulgarian international Svetoslav Todorov playing up front in the place of the injured Henri Camara. Latics lacked sparkle up front and the very few half chances that came Latics' way were wasted by a striking partnership that was looking very ineffective. On the plus side, the top quality Red Devils strike force was becoming more and more frustrated as the Blues were regularly pushing all bar one outfield player into defence as the half time whistled beckoned.

Still United kept coming at Latics and with five minutes of the half remaining Rooney failed to connect with a superb through ball from Scholes, whilst Park was denied by Leighton Baines who conceded a corner. The frustration on the face of the United manager clearly showed as United then failed to take advantage of the three corner kicks that resulted from it.

Given Latics' current record of conceding goals in injury time, there were no doubt some twisting Latics buttocks when the fourth official indicted that two minutes were to be allowed for 'time added on'. Thankfully for the Blues, there was no shock awaiting them this time in front of a PREMIERSHIP record crowd.

Latics didn't make any changes for the start of the second period, whilst Ferguson opted to replace Darren Fletcher with Cristiano Ronaldo. And with just one minute and five seconds of the second half gone the Portuguese winger had headed United in front from a Paul Scholes corner. just three minutes later Gary Teale brought down Park in the penalty area and referee Mike Riley immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Ronaldo missed the penalty but he slammed in the rebound and Old Traffiord went wild.

The foul on Park was Teale's last match action as a furious Paul Jewell replaced the Scotland midfielder with young Wales striker David Cotterill. All the substitution did was cause the team to lose what little stability it had and on the 59th minute mark Ole Gunnar Solskjaer netted United's third goal with a sweetly taken effort that gave Kirkland no chance. Ironically this was Solskjaer's first goal since his last one, also scored against Latics at the JJB Stadium earlier in the season.

With all three points in the bag Ferguson opted to replace Scholes with Kieran Richardson on the hour mark. Jewell replaced Fitz Hall with Josip Skoko two minutes later as Latics were clearly rattled and in danger of losing the game by as many runs as England cricket team earned against Australia the previous day. The sight of Luis Saha warming up pitch side also did little to settle the nerves of the Latics faithful. Sheer class was the obvious difference between the two teams on display.

Latics were now no longer at the races as firstly Kevin Kilbane and then Heskey both tried in vain to breach the United defence just after Ferguson had made his final substitution of the game replacing Patrice Evra for Gabriel Heinze.

Wayne Rooney must have been wondering if he would score during the game, as in the 74th minute he rattled the Latics crossbar with a superb volley just outside the area. Far from settling for their three goal advantage United looked for more goals, more in an effort to help the goals for column in their battle with Chelsea than in causing Latics maximum embarrassment and they looked on course to do it for the remaining quarter of an hour. Rooney and Ronaldo were effectively partaking in shooting practice for the remainder of the game and the only surprise at the final whistle was that Latics hadn't conceded another goal in time added on at the end.

In fact, it was Latics' turn to do so, as Leighton Baines converted a penalty with the last kick of the match. Like Solskjaer earlier, this was also Baines' first goal since the earlier game at the JJB Stadium.

This result, coupled with Chelsea dropping two points, meant that United's lead at the top of the Premiership was extended. Latics meanwhile were slipping down the table at an alarming rate, and Saturday's game against Watford at Vicarage Road is now going to be a massive game, defeat could leave Latics firmly entrenched in a relegation battle. And defeat is a distinct possibility given this totally inept and tactically naive display.

Admittedly the squad is suffering badly from injuries and suspensions but there is insufficient strength in depth and there will more than likely be extensive activity in the transfer market next month given the Blues' disastrous run of results over the festive season.

MANCHESTER UNITED, Edwin Van Der Sar, Mikael Silvestre, Wes Brown, John O'Shea, Patrice Evra, (Gabriel Heinze 65), Nemanja Vidic, Darren Fletcher, (Cristiano Ronaldo 46), Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ji-Sung Park. Subs not used, Tomasz KuszczaL, Luis Saha.

Goal scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo 47 mins, 51 mins, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 57 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, (Josip Skoko 62), Matt Jackson, Leighton Baines, Gary Teale, (David Cotterill 51), David Wright, Andreas Johansson, Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Svetoslav Todorov Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Denny Landzaat, Tomasz Cywka.

Goal scorer, Leighton Baines (pen) 90 mins

Referee, Mike Riley (West Yorkshire)

Attendance, 76.018

Wigan Athletic 2 v 3 Chelsea

2007-03-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

23rd December 2006

Wigan Athletic started this game missing a host of key players and, on paper at least, looked like they were in for a hiding. Luis Antonio Valencia was once again missing, although Gary Teale did earn a place on the substitutes bench following his recovery from injury. Up front top scorer Henri Camara was missing with an injury that would keep him out of all the festive fixtures and possibly the whole of January. Lee McCulloch was serving the first of a three match ban for a ridiculous punching incident at the end of the previous match against Sheffield United at the JJB Stadium, for which he was also fined by the club. Paul Jewell, who does not possess much strength in depth at the moment had to play Andreas Johnasson in an unfamiliar role on the right wing whilst Svetoslav Todorov started his first game as a Latics player in place of Camara.

Jose Mourinho on the other hand could call on the services of returning duo Frank Lampard, and Michael Ballack to add to his already top quality team line up.

For the first ten minutes things went according to the script. Chelsea bombarded the Latics back line and the only surprise was that it took 13 minutes for Chelsea to finally break down the Latics defence, springing the offside trap and calmly slotting the ball past Chris Kirkland to silence the sell out Wigan crowd.

Latics to their credit, tried to get back on terms immediately but a good cross by Emmerson Boyce was easily cut out by Henrique Hilario in the Chelsea goal. In the 21st minute the Blues had a let off when Michael Essien mis-hit a pass to Didier Drogba who was clean through on goal. However, this was just a blip from the Chelsea front line, cheered on by just 2,000 fans, as Latics conceded a soft goal on the hour mark. Jewell must have been fuming as Salomon Kalou rose unmarked in the penalty area to head home a ordinary looking corner kick from Arjen Robben.

Just then every Latics fan in the ground feared the worst as memories of big defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool at the JJB Stadium were being recalled in their minds. Latics, looked dead and buried but gradually they began to come back into the game. In the 40th minute Kevin Kilbane forced a good save from Hilario and four minutes later Robben was booked for a horrible tackle on Denny Landzaat as the Latics midfield started to turn the screw.

Then, right on the stroke of half time Emile Heskey broke through the stubborn Chelsea defence to head the ball into the Chelsea net from close range. Game on!

The second half belonged almost exclusively to Wigan Athletic. Chelsea were made to look very ordinary and they were seriously rattled by a fresh looking Latics team determined to get something out of the game. Lampard in particular was becoming more and more frustrated, remonstrating with the referee constantly and only a booking for the England midfielder calmed him down. Jewell opted to replace Johansson with David Cotterill in the 72nd minute, clearly believing Latics could get something from the game. The young Welsh striker immediately started causing Chelsea problems down the right side of the pitch and it was he who supplied the cross for Heskey to gleefully equalise in the 75th minute.

The JJB Stadium went wild, and Mourinho looked a very nervous figure in the dug out, particularly as he knew that leader Manchester United had already beaten Aston Villa earlier in the day. There was then a flurry of activity with regards to substitutes four minutes later. Jewell replaced the tiring Todorov with Gary Teale, figuring the extra pace he would provide could win the game for Latics. Mourinho opted to replace Khalid Boulahrouz and Claude Makelele with John Obi Mikel and Andriy Shevchenko.

It took Chelsea until the 40th minute of the second period to trouble Latics and that was from a poorly hit corner from Robben. However, like last season, and from the very same blade of grass that Hernan Crespo broke Latics hearts, it was Robben who lashed in a shot to win the game for Chelsea in the first minute of time added on.

Talk about Deja Vu. In a way this defeat was harder to take as the Blues had come from two goals behind to lose in such heart breaking fashion. They say luck evens itself out over the course of a season, surely Latics are due some at Old Trafford on Boxing Day?

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, Arjan De Zeeuw, Leighton Baines, Andreas Johansson, (David Cotterill 72), Denny Landzaat, (David Wright 84), Josip Skoko, Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Svetoslav Todorov (Gary Teale 77). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson

Goal scorers, Emile Heskey 45 mins, 75 mins

Booked, Emile Heskey 72 mins, Kevin Kilbane 90 mins, Arjan De Zeeuw 90 mins

CHELSEA, Henrique Hilario, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Khalid Boulahrouz, (Andriy Shevchenko 79), Frank Lampard, Claude Makele, (John Obi Mikel 79), Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben (Ndjitap Geremi 90). Subs not used, Magnus Hedman, Wayne Bridge.

Goal scorers, Frank Lampard 13 mins, Salomon Kalou 31 mins, Arjen Robben 96 mins

Booked, Arjen Robben 44 mins, Khalid Boulahrouz 47 mins, Frank Lampard 68 mins, John Obi Mikel 87 mins

Referee, Mike Dean (Wirral)

Attendance, 22,077

Wigan Athletic 0 v 1 Sheffield United

2007-03-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

16th December 2006

Wigan Athletic suffered a pointless four days by the time 5.50pm arrived this afternoon. Pointless, goalless and winless is also the situation with regards to the last four games at the JJB Stadium as well. Worryingly, the team doesn't look very confident at all and this time Paul Jewell can't blame the fans for another 'dispirited' (his words, not mine) performance.

Only Australian midfielder Josip Skoko and Chris Kirkland came out of this game with any credit, with the rest of the team simply not turning up on the day. This Wigan Athletic team, on paper at least, should have taken the Blades to the cleaners, and whilst we all know football isn't played on paper, the truth of the matter is that Latics' squad of millionaires REALLY should have been good enough against a Neil Warnock outfit containing, at best, Championship quality players all over the field.

A dour first half of football that would have shamed some Conference teams didn't produce a single worthy effort on goal and the only decent CROSS of note was produced by Steve Quinn in the second minute of the two minutes time allowed by Northamptonshire based referee Mr Walton. Incredibly, Rob Hulse connected and slammed the ball past Chris Kirkland for what turned out to be the games only goal.

And as if things weren't bad enough for the fans, within seconds of the first half ending they had to endure a 'Wham' tribute act called 'Bad Boys' as the half time entertainment! I can only suggest that they were absolute pap and the real bad boys were getting a half time rollicking from an irate Paul Jewell.

Henri Camara failed to return for the second period having been replaced by David Cotterill. And even though the second half did produce football of a slightly better quality, and I stress the word 'slightly', the Blues still didn't look good enough to score against the team predicted by most pundits to go down this season. The Blades were even awarded a penalty by the referee who after consultation with his assistant on the right hand touchline then reversed his decision. This should have been the catalyst of a Latics revival, but that wasn't the case.

A lacklustre Kevin Kilbane, who couldn't convert Latics' only chance of the game into a goal was replaced by Svetoslav Todorov for the final ten minutes of the game. However, by then the Blades had an almost ten man defence, and quite understandably were determined to hang on to what they had got.

Paul Jewell intimated earlier this month, that should December prove a bad month with regards to results going against Latics that he would bring in up to five or six new players in January.

I reckon he should reconsider this statement and opt to bring in an entirely new team who will want to play for the club, because quite frankly, that shower out there did not want to do so today.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, (David Wright 65), Fitz Hall, Arjan De Zeeuw, Leighton Baines, Lee McCulloch, Denny Landzaat, Josip Skoko, Kevin Kilbane, (Svetoslav Todorov 79), Emile Heskey, Henri Camara, (David Cotterill 46). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Andreas Johansson.

SHEFFIELD UNITED, Paddy Kenny, Chris Morgan, Rob Kozluk, Claude Davis, Derek Geary, Steven Quinn, (Chris Armstrong 70), Phil Jagielka, Michael Tongue, (Nick Montgomery 70), Keith Gillespie, Danny Webber, (Leigh Bromby 88), Rob Hulse. Subs not used, Colin Kazim-Richards, Christian Nade.

Goal scorer, Rob Hulse 45 mins

Booked, Chris Morgan 68 mins, Claude Davis 73 mins

Referee, P Walton

Attendance, 16,332

Wigan Athletic 0 v 1 Arsenal

2007-03-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Add Text Here!

Middlesbourgh 1 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-23T13:11:00.001-07:00

Add Text Here!

West Ham United 0 v 2 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-23T13:10:00.001-07:00

Add Text Here!

Wigan Athletic 0 v 4 Liverpool

2007-03-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

2nd December 2006

Wigan Athletic suffered a record Premiership home defeat at the JJB Stadium yesterday, and if the truth be told it was half expected given Latics' previous performance against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane last week.

Paul Jewell had to tinker about with his side again prior to kick off as Arjan De Zueew is still injured, this meant that Fitz Hall deputised and the Blues do not possess a fit right winger and so Lee McCulloch was drafted onto the opposite berth that he usually excels in. And the only bit of good news for Leighton Baines was that being the player with the most Premiership experience in the squad, he was named captain for the day.

Rafa Benitez was able to draft in Xabi Alonso who had recovered from injury and the livewire Craig Bellamy replaced Peter Crouch in attack for the Reds. Unfortunately for Latics they caught Bellamy in red hot form following his recent court case and the former Blackburn hit man ran riot all afternoon.

It was Bellamy who scored Liverpool's opening goal after just nine minutes when he raced past the Latics defence in the ninth minute as if it wasn't there. After intercepting a lovely pass from Jon Arne Riise in his own half. Emmerson Boyce failed to head the long ball clear and Bellamy sprinted past a static Matt Jackson to loop the ball over Chris Kirkland. From that moment on, Latics felt the full force of the Anfield machine as they ripped apart a Latics team that just could not cope with it. Foolishly, Latics seemed to be counterattacking Liverpool's goal scoring threat by playing the offside rule and this was to backfire with horrendous results.

Wave after wave of Liverpool pressure produced Liverpool's second goal in the 26th minute, following the Mike Riley show which had taken centre stage since the previous goal. The West Yorkshire based official had not seen a deliberate handling by Bellamy, whilst Emmerson Boyce was booked in the 14th minute for nothing. Emile Heskey was then virtually nullified from the game after being booked for a seeming hard but fair challenge for the ball in the Liverpool penalty area three minutes later. After that he was loathe to challenge for any fifty fifty ball, knowing a red card could quite easily be pulled out by the over zealous referee next time.

Alonso was booked in the 24th minute following a foul on Baines just outside the Liverpool area, but the Blues wasted their free kick and they paid dearly for it two minutes later when Steve Gerrard found Bellamy who this time shook off a more resolute looking Latics defence to slam the ball past Kirkland. There was a lucky escape for Latics on the half hour mark when Mike Riley deemed Bellamy offside despite Fitz Hall actually playing the striker onside. Had the referee not made this mistake Bellamy would have netted a hat trick, which would have seen him reach the 50 goal mark of his top flight career.

The difference between the two teams was clinical finishing and for all Liverpool's possession, Latics did have two excellent chances, both of which were fluffed before Dirk Kuyt scored Liverpool's third goal, with their third shot on target, in the 40th minute. When Lee McCulloch headed past his own keeper following a tame cross into the box by Gerrard the genuine Latics fans feared the worst for the second half. Another 500 or so Latics 'supporters' trooped out of the ground as they just couldn't stand the thought of the massacre that was going to take place in the second half.

However, Jewell brought on David Wright for Jackson and David Cotterill for the strangely ineffective Kevin Kilbane and the Blues managed to avoid the expected drubbing as Liverpool posed little threat for the whole of the second half. Latics had a goal chalked off for offside when the ball was put in the net midway through the second period and they missed a glorious chance in the closing minutes when Canara struck the post and the rebound was put wide.

However, the upturn in fortunes may well have been due to the fact that Liverpool had taken their foot off the gas, not because the Latics display had improved for that second half. Next up for Latics is a trip to Upton Park to take on West Ham United on Wednesday evening and as much better display is needed to ensure that thirteenth placed Latics are not dragged into a relegation scrap.

Hopefully, when the transfer window re opens Jewell can bring in defensive reinforcements because with De Zeeuw, the defence looks like it's built on sand.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, Matt Jackson, (David Wright 46), Leighton Baines, Lee McCulloch, Paul Scharner, Josip Skoko, Kevin Kilbane, (David Cotterill 46), Lee McCulloch, Emile Heskey, Henri Camara. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Denny Landzaat, Andreas Johansson.

Booked, Emmerson Boyce, Emile Heskey

LIVERPOOL, Jose Reina, Steve Finnan, Sami Hyppia, (Gabriel Paletta 61), Daniel Agger, Jan Arne Riise, Luis Garcia, (Jermaine Pennant 53), Jamie Carragher, Steve Gerrard, (Danny Guthrie 79), Xabi Alonso, Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy. Subs not used, Jerzy Dudek, Robbie Fowler.

Goal scorers, Craig Bellamy 9 mins, 26 mins, Dirk Kuyt 40 mins, Lee McCulloch 0g 45 mins.

Booked, Xabi Alonso, Craig Bellamy

Referee, Mike Riley (West Yorkshire)

Attendance, 22.089

Tottenham Hotspur 3 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

26th November 2006

Wigan Athletic's management, team and fans can have no qualms about this result. Latics, for the second half in particular, were made to look very ordinary indeed by a confident Spurs team for whom everything seemed to gel on the day.

Following on from their European exploits, Tottenham's strike force took their chances clinically, whilst the Blues are still struggling to put their chances away. Things looked rosy for Latics when Henri Canara scored a beautiful goal in the 25th minute when Lee McCulloch beat former Latic, Pascal Chimbonda, to the ball and headed into the path of the oncoming Canara who struck a beautiful half volley into the roof of the Tottenham net.

And from then on, things went downhill for Latics. For the vast majoprity of this season Latics have conceded goals at crucial periods in their games, most notably the closing minutes of each half. And yesterday at White Hart Lane was no exception. Just a minute after Camara had struck his seventeenth goal for the club, Chris Kirkland had to make a superb double save from Steed Malbranque and Jermaine Defoe to keep Spurs at bay, but in the 43rd minute there was little he could do when the electrifying Dimita Berbatov, a 10.9 million pounds signing from Bayer Leverkusen, fooled Emmerson Boyce in the Latics defence and crossed to Defoe and the England hot shot fired the ball into the net to equalise.

Latics then crumbled. Within a minute Berbatov himself scored a spectacular goal after turning Matt Jackson inside out and then blasting the ball into the right side of the net to put the rampant Spurs into a lead that they were never going to relinquish given the poor display that Latics put in for the second period of the game.

The only surprise of the day was that it took Tottenham until the last minute of the game to secure a third goal. This came courtesy of Aaron Lennon's fine shot following good work from Berbatov.

The result meant that Latics finished the day in eleventh place in the Premiership on 18 points and next up for Latics are Liverpool at the JJB Stadium next weekend. If Latics are to continue to push for a respectable finish to this league campaign a good result against the Merseysiders is essential. Given the fact that Latics have never beaten one of the big clubs in a Premiership fixture, next week would be a nice one in which to break that unwanted duck.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR, Paul Robinson, Pascal Chimbonda, Michael Dawson, Ledley King, Bennoit Assou-Ekotto, Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone, Didier Zokora, Steed Malbranque, Dimitar Berbatov, Jermaine Defoe, (Robbie Keane 83). Subs not used, Radek Cerny, Young-Pyo Lee, Edgar Davids, Danny Murphy.

Goal scorers, Jermaine Defoe 43 mins, Dimitar Berbatove 44 mins, Aaron Lennon 90 mins

Booked, Michale Dawson, Didier Zokora

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, David Wright, (Fitz Hall 67), Matt Jackson, Leighton Baines, Gary Teale, (Emile Heskey 29), Paul Scharner, Josip Skoko, Kevin Kilbane, (David Cotterill 78), Lee McCulloch, Henri Camara. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Denny Landzaat.

Goal scorer, Henri Camara 25 mins

Booked, Leighton Baines, Emmerson Boyce, Josip Skoko

Referee, Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear)

Attendance, 35.205

Wigan Athletic 0 v 0 Aston Villa

2007-03-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

19th November 2006

Wigan Athletic recorded their first ever Premiership 0-0 result today (Sunday 19th November 2006) against Aston Villa at the JJB Stadium. The result moved Latics up to ninth place in the Premiership, whilst also denying Villa, (who have only been beaten in one Premiership game this season), third place in the League.

There is an old joke that does the rounds at any football ground, on any given occasion, when one fan will turn to his mate and say 'they were lucky to get nil!". Well that was certainly true of Aston Villa today. If this game had been a boxing match, it would have been akin to Mike Tyson in his prime taking on John Inman in his! And this was despite the Blues fielding a supposedly weakened team.

Latics manager Paul Jewell was forced to make four changes to his team as injuries started to bite deeply into his squad. Left back Leighton Baines missed his first game of the season after picking up a knock during his England Under 21 duties in midweek, his place taken by David Wright. Denny Landzaat, who played for Holland against England in midweek. was missing his place taken by Australian international Josip Skoko. Matt Jackson replaced Scotland international Andy Webster in the centre of the defence and Emile Heskey is still suffering from a niggling injury, so Lee McCulloch was pushed up front alongside Henri Camara.

Villa, for their part were deprived of the services of banned Gavin McCann, but were bolstered by the return of top scorer Gareth Barry who had recovered from a badly bruised back.

Within two minutes Latics should have been in front when McCulloch headed a sublime Camara cross straight at Villa goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, and just a minute later Paul Scharner sent a 25 yard shot just right of the post. Gary Teale was playing particularly well on the wide right, combining well with Emmerson Boyce to run a jaded looking Villa rearguard ragged as Latics started to dominate proceedings.

It took the Villan's quarter of an hour to launch their first meaningful attack, and in fairness it was a let off for the Blues as Peter Whittingham's shot hit the post with Chris Kirkland well beaten in the Wigan goal. Just how Latics failed to score is a mystery but a little less showboating from the blistering Senegalese hit-man Camara could have helped. Villa offered nothing up front whilst the Blues were creating chances, willy-nilly and failing to make any of them count.

Within a couple of minutes of the second half commencing the Latics faithful must have sensed that Latics were perhaps going to play out a 0-0 draw for the first time since 23rd April 2005 when Queens Park Rangers held Latics to a 0-0 draw in a Championship encounter. Under intense Wigan pressure, Villa defender Isaiah Osbourne headed the ball onto his own post and two minutes later Sorensen denied Scharner.

Martin O'Neill was not liking what he was witnessing and in the 51st minute he brought on Didier Agathe for Peter Whittingham. His introduction did little to change the pattern of the game as Latics continued to pepper the Villa goal, to no avail. O'Neill then decided to bring on Steve Davis for Juan Pablo Angel in the 67th minute, pushing Gabriel Agbonlahor in a more forward position and gradually the Latics central defensive partnership of Arjan De Zeeuw and Matt Jackson had a little pace to contend with.

Agbonlahor suddenly became a handful and after he put Gareth Barry clear on the outside left channel Jackson was penalised by referee Steve Bennett for a late tackle. Two minutes later Agbonlahor was clean through on goal and a last ditch tackle by Skoko prevented him from scoring from what would have been Villa's second shot on target.

Paul Jewell replaced Teale for David Cotterill in the 76th minute and then three minutes later introduced Landzaat into the game as man of the match Skoko trooped off the pitch to huge applause. With ten minutes remaining Kevin Kilbane's free kick was cleared by the shaky Villa defence and Sorensen needed two attempts to deny Latics a goal from the resultant corner.

As is the norn at the JJB Stadium these days Latics were causing their support a few anxious moments towards the end and the final whistle, when it came was greeted with some relief as this was another game in which Latics battered their opponents, but lacked that knock out punch.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Matt Jackson, David Wright, Gary Teale, (David Cotterill 76), Paul Scharner, Josip Skoko, (Denny Landzaat 78), Kevin Kilbane, Lee McCulloch, Henri Camara. Subs not used, John Filan, Andy Webster, Andreas Johansson

Booked, Matt Jackson 72 mins

ASTON VILLA, Thomas Sorensen, Gareth Barry, Olaf Mellberg, Wilfred Bouma, Gary Cahill, Isaiah Osbourne, Liam Ridgewell, Peter Whittingham, (Didier Agathe 51), Gabriel Agbonlahor, Juan Pablo Angel, (Steve Davis 67), Chris Sutton. Subs not used, Stewart Taylor, Patrik Berger, Milan Baros.

Referee, Steve Bennett (Kent)

Attendance, 18.455

Wigan Athletic 3 v 2 Charlton

2007-03-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

11th November 2006

Wigan Athletic climbed up to eighth place in the Premiership following what turned out to be a hard fought victory over basement club Charlton Athletic in monsoon conditions at the JJB Stadium yesterday.

Manager Paul Jewell, was forced into making two changes for the start of the game, bringing in David Cotterill to make his full Latics debut in place of Gary Teale, whilst Lee McCulloch played up front in place of the injured former England striker Emile Heskey. Charlton manager Iain Dowie brought in Darren Ambrose for a rare start following injury to Dennis Rhomedahl, whilst he left Jimmy Floyd Haaselbaink on the bench, despite his two goal haul against Chesterfield in mid week.

Latics who are now proving their Premiership durability, courtesy of being the highest placed of all the promoted teams from the past two seasons, were made to work hard to secure all three points despite being in full control of the game at half time. For the first ten minutes of the game both midfield sections were cancelling each other out, with the Addicks playing a lot of football that was pleasing to the eye. However, when it came to the final third of the pitch they severely lacked a strong imposing presence up front.

Lee McCulloch, who has been linked with a move to the Valley in January, showed Dowie exactly what he could do when he opened the scoring for Latics in the 13th minute courtesy of a classic 'route one' approach that would have made John Beck proud when he was manager of Cambridge United in the early 1990's! England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland hoofed the ball down the centre of the park and the bounce fooled Charlton defender Souleymane Diawara, leaving Scotland midfielder McCulloch to latch on to the ball and gleefully slam it past Charlton's loanee keeper Scott Carson.

The weather conditions gradually worsened as the game wore on as the swirling wind a streaming rain threatened to ruin the game. However such was the skill and technique (of both teams) the conditions didn't affect the quality of the game in progress.

Charlton's biggest threat was of course Darren Bent and Kirkland had to save well to deny him a goal just minutes after Latics had taken the lead. The game swung from end to end but in the 41st minute Kirkland saved a free kick that was struck by Bent. He immediately cleared the ball with McCulloch the first player to react. He raced up the pitch and passed the ball to Senegal striker Henri Camara who scored a sublime goal from a 20 yard volley to celebrate the birth of his baby son just 24 hours earlier.

By now the game was won, or so everybody in the JJB Stadium thought!

However Iain Dowie replaced Matt Holland with Jimmy Floyd Haaselbaink for the restart, and almost immediately, the Addicks had the imposing figure up front that they had lacked during the first half. Within minutes his jinking run forced Arjan De Zeeuw into an error and luckily for Latics, the livewire Andy Reid hit the resulting free kick high, wide and not very handsome.

Then in the 52nd minute Darren Bent seized on a slip from Scotland defender Andy Webster and slammed the ball past Kirkland for the Addicks' first goal. Just minutes later a slip by Leighton Baines almost allowed Haaselbaink in on goal and suddenly the Latics defence was wobbling. Jewell decided to bring David Wright into the action in the 60th minute and his man marking of Andy Reid calmed down the Addicks' imposing midfield and when he took off Cotterill, replacing him with Ecuador midfielder Luis Antonio Valencia, Latics regained control of the situation.

However, if there was ever an inspired substitution the next one made by the Latics boss was it. He brought on Matt Jackson for Webster who had been given the run-around by the Addicks' forwards. He was brought on in the 75th minute and two minutes later he had headed Latics into a two goal lead again! Game over.

Charlton substitute Marcus Bent did manage an injury time consolation, but this will have done little to help the Addicks stave off the threat of relegation in seven months time.

As for Latics, they are pressing onwards and upward after four wins on the bounce. During those games they have played beautiful football, scruffy football, stood up to bully boy tactics and even tried the route one method. They look well equipped to take on, and beat, the good, the bad and the ugly of the Premiership.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Andy Webster, (Matt Jackson 75), Leighton Baines, David Cotterill, (Luis Antonio Valencia 57), Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, (David Wright 60), Kevin Kilbane, Lee McCulloch 28, Henri Camara, (Andreas Johansson 88). Subs not used, John Filan, Andreas Johansson

Goal scorers, Lee McCulloch 13 mins, Henri Camara 41 mins, Matt Jackson 78 mins

Booked, Paul Scharner 35 mins, David Cotterill 40 mins

CHARLTON ATHLETIC, Scott Carson, Luke Young, Hermann Hreidarsson, Souleymane Diawara, (Radostin Kishishev 75), Talal El Harkouri, Matt Holland, (Jimmy Floyd Haaselbaink 46), Darren Ambrose, (Marcus Bent 84), Amdy Faye, Andy Reid. Jerome Thomas, Darren Bent. Subs not used, Stephan Andersen, Osei Sankofa.

Goal scorers, Darren Bent 52 mins, Marcus Bent 90 mins

Referee, Dermot Gallagher (Oxfordshire)

Attendance, 16,572

Bolton Wanderers 0 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

14th November 2006

Wigan Athletic came out on top at the end of this drab, rather uninspiring, local derby. The quality of the match itself is easily forgotten by the Latics faithful though, as they saw their team remain unbeaten by Bolton Wanderers for the third Premiership game in a row thanks to a 79th minute strike from substitute Lee McCulloch.

The Horwich based Wanderers are a very tough nut to crack due to their robust, hustling type of game and as early as the 28th minute the Blues had to make their first substitution of the game with Emile Heskey being taken off with McCulloch the man replacing the former England striker who is having a torrid time with a niggling thigh injury at the moment. Things, got worse for the Latics just five minutes later when Gary Teale was forced out of action with Welsh striker David Cotterill replacing him to make only his second appearance of the season.

This disrupted the Latics formation and tactics, and as the first half was drawing to a close it was Bolton who were in the ascendancy, but as referee Mark Clattenburg, blew for half time all that the Trotters had to show was a woeful shot hit over the bar by their super duper mega bucks goal less striker Nicolas Anelka, and a Gary Speed free kick that was easily saved by England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland in the Latics goal.

Latics for their part, hadn't fared much better, although Cotterill, a player who looks to have a very bright future in the game, should perhaps have done a little better in the closing minute when he hit a shot straight at Jussi Jaaskelainen. The last action of the first period was a foul by Leighton Baines on Kevin Davies. However, it was Davies who went into the book following his reaction to the foul. It seems that Davies loves to dish it out but is not prepared to take a knock or two in return. Pathetic!

The second half saw no changes made to either team, and in all faimess, it was Bolton who looked the more likely of the two sides to score the opening goal. Five minutes after the restart El Hadj Diouff was spitting mad when Anelka's poorly struck shot from his free kick was charged down by the Latics defence. The Blues survived a penalty appeal when the home fans bayed for a spot kick following a perceived handling offence in the box by Latics left back Baines. Fortunately the referee decided against the spot kick and indicated that the ball had come off the young lad's chest.

In the 73rd minute of the game Sam Allardyce opted to bring on Ricardo Vaz Te in place of the ineffective Davies, but this tactic proved fruitless and just six minutes later McCulloch slammed the ball past Jaaskelainen to grab the winning goal. The goal was the result of a sublime back heel from Camara which found Kevin Kilbane bearing down on the Wanderers goal. He then opted to lay the ball off to McCulloch who was steaming in on goal and he hit his shot sweetly, finding the bottom corner of the net in what was actually Latics' first proper attempt at goal in the second half.

The goal had knocked the stuffing out of the home side and Latics played out the final ten minutes of the game with no problems whatsoever. The victory was Latics' second away win on the bounce and saw the team climb up to tenth place in the Premiership.

Next up are Charlton Athletic at the JJB Stadium next week and a win against Iain Dowie's strugglers could see Latics riding high in the Premiership, challenging for Europe!

BOLTON WANDERERS, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Abdoulaye Meite, Tal Ben Haim, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye, Gary Speed, (Idan Tal 90), Ivan Campo, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Henrik Pedersen, (Nicky Hunt 90), Kevin Davies, (Ricardo Vaz Te 74), El Hadj Diouf, Nicolas Anelka. Subs not used, Ali Al Habsi, Johann Smith.

Booked, Kevin Davies 45 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Andy Webster, Leighton Baines, Gary Teale, (David Cotterill 33), Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, (Lee McCulloch 28), Henri Camara, (Andreas Johansson 88). Subs not used, John Filan, Matt Jackson

Goal scorer, Lee McCulloch 79 mins

Booked, Kevin Kilbane 50 mins, Denny Landzaat 90 mins

Referee, Mark Clattenburg (County Durham)

Attendance, 21,255

Fulham 0 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-23T09:11:00.001-07:00

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 4 v 0 Manchester City

2007-03-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

21st October 2006

Wigan Athletic recorded their biggest ever Premiership win against hopeless Manchester City today at the JJB Stadium.

A disappointing crowd of just 16,235 witnessed the historic occasion. However, the crowd would have hit the 20,000 mark had City's fans decided not to boycott the game over the match day admittance fee of £35. Whether or not the Wigan club's policy of charging such an amount for Premiership games will pay off in the long run is open to debate. However, that is an argument for another day, for the time being Latics can bask in the glory at beating the self proclaimed 'massiv club' by such a margin, whilst knowing it could and should have been a lot more.

Paul Jewell decided to drop midfielder Denny Landzaat in favour of Josip Skoko, who was starting his first league game of the season, whilst Ecuadorian winger Luis Antonio Valencia took Scottish international Gary Teale's place in the staring line up. Stuart Pearce was able to recall Nicky Weaver to operate between the sticks, whilst Matthew Mills and Stephen Jordan also came into first team reckoning.

Manchester City got proceedings underway and just two minutes later they were wishing they hadn't when Emmerson Boyce ran down the right channel and crossed an inch perfect ball for Emile Heskey to volley past the helpless Weaver. And if City thought things couldn't get any worse they were sadly mistaken as Richard Dunne headed a Josip Skoko free kick from the left past Weaver who had come out of his six yard area to collect the ball!

The JJB Stadium was going wild and for the next twenty five minutes they put City under intense pressure as the 'massiv' club just couldn't cope with the livewire Latics play. On the half hour mark disaster struck for Skoko as he was forced to leave the pitch after picking up an injury with Holland international Denny Landzaat replacing the stricken Australian. This seemed to disrupt the Latics and as the first half was coming to a close Bernardo Corradi missed two goal scoring opportunities and former Liverpool man Dietmar Hamman couldn't hide his frustration, picking up a booking from the surprisingly good referee Phil Dowd in the 43rd minute.

There were two substitutions at half time. Jewell had to replace Fitz Hall who failed to recover from a bad knock sustained towards the end of the first half with Scottish international Andy Webster, who was making his debut for the club. Pearce replaced the hapless Dietmar Hamman with Paul Dickov who was sent onto the field of play to try to wind up the Latics team, as that was all Pearce had left in his locker.

To be fair to Pearce, Dickov duly obliged by persistently baiting Boyce and generally making a nuisance of himself. However, he was only able to use these tactics in the middle of the park, as he got nowhere near a striking opportunity as Latics continued to turn the screw in the second half. Paul Scharner should have headed a third Latics goal within two minutes of the re start, and this gave City the impetus they need to try and at least make a fist of proceedings. Debutant Webster was booked for a foul on Corradi in the 52nd minute, and just five minutes later Dickov struck the ball at Leighton Baines from all of two feet and demanded, along with all 1,500 of the travelling supporters for hand ball and a penalty. Dowd was having none of it and by now City were devoid of any kind of positive tactics to break down Athletic.

And then in the 64th minute, four minutes after Pearce had substituted Matthew Mills for Darius Vassell, Latics scored their match clinching third goal. Baines, hoping for a place in the next full England squad must have impressed the watching Steve McLaren by passing for Henri Camara to poke home from all of six yards. Then, incredibly Latics repeated their first half feat by scoring after another two minutes, with Luis Antonio Valencia hitting a screamer past a now bemused Weaver in the City goal.

Cue wild celebrations from the Latics faithful and a mass exodus of the City fans, whilst the rest of them chanted 'We want our money back!". For the first time this season Latics fans could sit back and relax, knowing that three very badly needed points were definitely in the bag.

Roll on Fulham next week!

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Fitz Hall, (Andy Webster 46), Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, (Gary Teale 83), Paul Scharner, Josip Skoko, (Denny Landzaat 30), Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Henri Camara. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Lee McCulloch

Goal scorers, Emile Heskey 2 mins, Richard Dunne (og) 4 mins, Henri Camara 65 mins, Luis Antonio Valencia 67 mins

Booked, Andy Webster 53 mins

MANCHESTER CITY, Nicky Weaver, Micah Richards, Richard Dunne, Matthew Mills, (Darius Vassell 60), Dietmar Hamman, (Paul Dickov 46), Michael Johnson, Joey Barton, Trevor Sinclair, Stephen Jordan, Georgios Samaras, Bernardo Corradi. Subs not used, Joe Hart, Nedum Onoura, Marc Laird.

Booked, Dietmar Hamman 43 mins

Referee, Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

Attendance, 16,235

Wigan Athletic 1 v 3 Manchester United

2007-03-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

14th October 2006

Wigan Athletic failed to put Manchester United to the sword, despite having a 1-0 advantage and having played the best football as they took their half time break. This defeat leaves the Blues in17th place in the Premiership, just one place above the relegation trap door.

Things could not have got off to a brighter start as Leighton Baines scored yet another wonder goal after just five minutes at a packed JJB Stadium. United defender, Patrice Evra, carelessly handled in a dangerous position and Baines struck the resultant 25 yard free kick past a stunned United defence. From that moment on, until the final 15 minutes of the first half, Latics tore into Manchester United at will with Henri Camara missing a couple of chances whilst England defender Rio Ferdinand had to resort to fouling Emile Heskey to keep the live wire forward from causing United even more damage. However, the League leaders gradually began to string their passes together and had the rub of the green as Latics started to falter and lose advantage of the ball far too easily as the half wore on.

In an attempt to counter these problems manager Paul Jewell reverted to a 4-5-1 formation in the 30th minute, dropping Camara into midfield and this unfamiliar formation worked more against Latics than for them. Both Wayne Rooney and Ole Gunnar Solskjear wasted opportunities to draw United level before the break and Latics went in for their half time break with a sense of relief.

Sir Alex Ferguson must have dusted off the famous 'hair dryer' during the interval break, because United started the second half like a whirlwind. Wes Brown had been replaced by Ryan Giggs and the Welshman was desperately unlucky not to bring United level in the 47th minute.

In the 56th minute the normally reliable Arjan De Zeeuw failed to pick up Luis Saha on the edge of the box, but fortunately for the Blues the Frenchman hit his shot just wide. Three minutes later, Lee McCulloch replaced Camara who was looking very short of confidence during the United onslaught and soon enough United were indeed level.

From a corner conceded by Baines in the 62nd minute, Nemanja Vidic climbed highest in a packed Latics penalty area and headed the ball past Chris Kirkland to send the United fans wild, whilst the Blue three quarters of the stadium hung their heads in despair. The goal had been coming and they knew it.

The Red Devils now had their tails up and it came as no surprise when they snatched the lead in the 66th minute, Luis Saha latching onto a Rooney cross and drilling the ball into the Latics net. There were shades of Cardiff all over again as everyone in Blue, including the team, feared a very harsh drubbing.

Latics had no option but to replace the ineffective Gary Teale and Kevin Kilbane for Antonio Luis Valencia and Svetoslav Todorov as they tried desperately to claw something back from the game. But the closest they came to an equaliser was a Lee McCulloch shot that Edwin Van Der Sar dealt with comfortably in the 73rd minute.

Latics just could not get hold of the ball long enough to nullify the United team, all of whom were passing the ball beautifully all over the park. Goal shy Rooney even had two attempts on goal and in the 86th minute Saha should have scored United's third. As it was that honour went to Solskjear who scored with virtually the last kick of the match.

Latics looked a well beaten team as the final whistle sounded and it looks like the winter months are going to be long and hard as Latics attempt to stay in the Premiership.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, Gary Teale, (Luis Antonio Valencia 69), Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Kevin Kilbane, (Svetoslav Todorov 69), Emile Heskey, Henri Camara, (Lee McCulloch 60). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson.

Goalscorer, Leighton Baines 5mins

MANCHESTER UNITED, Edwin Van Der Sar, Wes Brown, (Ryan Giggs 46), Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick, John O'Shea, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Luis Saha, Ole Gunnar Solskjear. Subs not used, Tomasz Kuszczak, David Jones, Kieran Richardson, Alan Smith.

Goalscorers, Nemanja Vidic 62 mins, Luis Saha 66 mins, Ole Gunnar Solskjear 90 mins

Booked, Rio Ferdinand 28 mins, John O'Shea 40 mins

Referee, Steve Bennett (Kent)

Attendance, 20,631

Blackburn Rovers 2 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

11st October 2006

Wigan Athletic are looking like a side destined for a horrible relegation fight this season. The Latics look like a pale shadow of the team that took the Premiership by storm last season. In fact, their form since losing the Carling Cup Final in February of this year reveals that the club is indeed showing 'certain' relegation form. Since that historic day the Blues have played 17 games and won just 4 of them, and without any disrespect to the teams involved, two of the sides Latics beat during that time were Sunderland and Reading.

There are only so many "Look how far the club has come"'s and "The team needs time to gel"'s that the supporters are going to swallow. And whilst Paul Jewell has recently, and in my opinion quite rightly, slammed the Latics boo boys, sooner or later he has got to realise that Latics are currently on a very slippery slope at the moment.

Despite a good start at Ewood Park, Latics once again failed to capitalise from being in a position of strength and in the end were lucky not to have conceded at least four more goals than the two Blackburn did manage to put away. Almost immediately after Heskey had put Latics ahead with a sweetly taken shot with just two minutes of the game played, it was Blackburn who held the upper hand. The only surprise was that it took Blackburn until the first minute of time added on at the end of the first half to make their breakthrough. David Bentley was the Rovers hero when he hit a blistering shot from the edge of the box and saw the ball swerve neatly into the bottom corner of Chris Kirkland's net.

Rovers came out for the second half fired up and looking like a side that is unused to losing as the prepared to make this game result in their fourth successive victory. They came close in the 63rd minute and only brilliant goalkeeping by Kirkland kept Franny Jeffers from finding the back of the net. Seven minutes later Rovers manager Mark Hughes decided that it was time for former Latics striker Jason Roberts to take part in proceedings and from that moment on all Latics fans feared the worst.

With just a quarter of an hour of the game remaining Emile Heskey was brought down in the Rovers penalty area by Aaron Mokoena and referee Howard Webb pointed to the penalty spot. Were Latics going to sneak victory after all Blackburn's hard work?

Up stepped Latics substitute Svetoslav Todorov, on his Latics Premiership debut, to take responsibility for slamming the ball past rookie goalkeeper Jay Brown who had replaced Brad Friedel for the second half. Incredibly, he not only saw his poorly struck spot kick saved, but he also missed a glorious chance to bang in the rebound.

That was all the inspiration Rovers needed and in the 81st minute Benni McCarthy put Rovers in front when he latched on to a pass from Roberts, who was having a very good game indeed. Towards the end of the game Latics even had Chris Kirkland in the Rovers penalty area as they tried desperately to retrieve a point. But it was not to be and Latics made the short trip home pointless and staring a relegation dogfight right in the eyes.

BLACKBURN ROVERS, Brad Friedel, (Jason Brown 46), Zurab Khizanishvili, Lucas Neill, Andre Ooijer, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Robbie Savage, Brett Emerton, Tugay, (Aaron Mokoena 70), David Bentley, Francis Jeffers, (Jason Roberts 70), Benni McCarthy. Subs not used, Jay McEveley, Paul Gallagher.

Goalscorers, David Bentley 45 mins, Benni McCarthy 81 mins

Booked, Francis Jeffers 29 mins, Andre Ooijer 75 mins, Aaron Mokoena 85 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Matt Jackson, Leighton Baines, Antonio Luis Valencia, (Gary Teale 67), Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Kevin Kilbane, (Lee McCulloch 74), Emile Heskey, Henri Camara, (Svetoslav Todorov 64). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Andreas Johansson.

Goalscorer, Emile Heskey 2 mins

Booked, Paul Scharner 20 mins, Kevin Kilbane 55 mins, Leighton Baines 58 mins, Denny Landzaat 65 mins

Referee, Howard Webb (South Yorkshire)

Attendance, 17,859

Wigan Athletic 1 v 1 Watford

2007-03-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

23rd September 2006

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!
Bernard Ramsdale.

Well ADMIN, you missed absolutely nothing, in fact all Latics had to offer this afternoon was a steaming pile of shite.

A defence that couldn't clear the ball, a midfield that went awol for most of the game and an attack that was the most ineffective you're likely to see at this level, incapable of beating an offside trap.

Yes, the referee nailed his colours to the mast after the first five minutes and the linesman in front of the East Stand in the first period looked as though he was on commission for sticking his flag up, but the bare fact of the matter is we were awful. Completely awful.

We're playing against a team whose average height must have been similar to the Harlem Globetrotters and yet we're content the most part to hoof the ball up as high as possible.

If Heskey spent as much time using the ball effectively as he does arguing with the ref or sat on his arse we'd have a world beater. Why Jewell was so loathed to bring a sub on up front when Heskey was a waste of space and Camara had wasted two good chances in the first half is any one's guess. Maybe he's trying to justify shelling out the money he has on someone who had little effect ona side being relegated from the Premiership last season?

That said, the supply line to the forwards was dreadful, we're clearly missing the attacking surges Chimbonda made last season, Boyce and Hall are probably decent defenders in the Championship but at this level they appear to be cloggers who are happy to hoof the ball clear rather than play it out, which is meat and drink to big sides like Watford.

Sorry to say, but that performance today had relegation battle written all over it, there are only so many times you can use the excuse "it's taking them time to gel" before it looks extremely shallow.

And if Whelan thinks the Wigan public are going to flock in their droves for £35 a chuck for Cat A games on the strength of that, I'll have a pint of what he's been on.

Andy Werrill.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, Antonio Luis Valencia, (Gary Teale 54), Denny Landzaat, Paul Scharner, Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Henri Camara. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson, Andreas Johansson, Svetoslav Todorov

Goalscorer, Henri Camara 29 mins

Booked, Antonio Luis Valencia 33min, Henri Camara 50 mins

WATFORD, Ben Foster, Jordan Stewart, Danny Shittu, Malky MacKay, Jay Demerit, Gavin Mahon, Damien Francis, Matthew Spring (Hameur Bouazza 84), Ashley Young, Darius Henderson, (Tommy Smith 72), Marlon King. Subs not used, Richard Lee, Lloyd Doyley, Anthony McNamee.

Goalscorer, Hameur Bouazza 63 mins

Booked, Malky MacKay 81 mins, Gavin Mahon 85 mins

Referee, Rob Styles

Attendance, 16,359

Everton 2 v 2 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

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).

Portsmouth 1 v 0 Wigan Athletic

2007-03-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday 9th September 2006

Wigan Athletic suffered their second consecutive Away Premiership defeat of the season at Fratton Park. Once again, Latics deserved more from a game than they actually got, but like the Newcastle game previously there were no complaints from manager Paul Jewell.

The Portsmouth faithful welcomed back Pedro Medes who was making his first appearance since his now infamous incident with Ben Thatcher, whilst Latics' line up included Henri Canara, who was thought to have been unavailable for up to six weeks prior to the game kicking off.

It was Latics who started the game brightly and as early as the fourth minute Camara was unlucky not to open the scoring with a speculative effort that sailed over the bar, whilst Luis Valencia forced a good save from former England goalkeeper David James minutes later. The Fratton Park crowd was unusually subdued as the black shirted Latics team were playing some neat flowing football but they were unable to create too many scoring opportunities for Camara and Emile Heskey who toiled away up front.

Portsmouth decided to start attacking the Wigan team a bit more towards the end of the first half and when Kanu threaded the ball to Benjani with just minutes remaining, Fitz Hall dispossessed the African striker just before he would surely have put Pompey ahead.

The second half was just four minutes old when Benjani did indeed put Portsmouth 1-0 up, scoring his first ever goal at Fratton Park. Ironically, he scored his first ever away goals for the club against Latics at the JJB Stadium the previous season! Gary Teale, who was playing because of injury to his Scotland team mate Lee McCulloch, sent a beautiful ball into the Portsmouth goal area but neither Camara nor Heskey got near the ball which was cleared by Mendes, who was now coming into the game a bit more after a somewhat apprehensive start.

In the 68th minute Harry Redknapp replaced the injured Dejan Stefanoxic with Noe Parmarot just prior to Camara and Sol Campbell almost coming to blows in the Pompey penalty area, however the incident quickly calmed down and the was no need for the referee to intervene.

Despite all their possession Latics were simply not getting many clear cut chances and this prompted Jewell to sacrifice Gary Teale in the 78th minute for his new £2.000.000 signing from Bristol City, striker David Cotterill, to make his Latics debut in an effort to get among the gaols. But it proved too little too late and a raft of substitutions then took place for both sides as Latics tried desperately for an equaliser whilst Redknapp was determined to hang on to what he'd got.

One of Pompey's substitutes, former Latic David Thompson found himself free in the Latics goalmouth in the 87th minute but Lua Lua tried a speculative shot instead of passing the ball to him. Then in a crazy last few minutes Heskey, Denny Landzaat and Paul Scharner all missed golden opportunities to wrap up a point for the visitors.

So Portsmouth went to the top of the Premiership while Latics slipped two places to thirteenth in the table. However, things are looking good in the Wigan camp and here's hoping Camara and Heskey can find their shooting boots next week as the team travel to take on Everton, who earlier in the day had beaten Liverpool 3-0

PORTSMOUTH, David James, Dejan Stefanovic, (Noe Pamarot 66), Sol Campbell, Linvoy Primus, Glen Johnson, Matthew Taylor, Sean Davis, Gary O'Neill, Miguel Pedro Mendes, (David Thompson 86), Nwankwo Kanu, (Lomana Tresor Lua Lua 76), Benjani Mwaruwari. Subs not used, Dean Kiely, Ognjen Koroan.

Goalscorer, Benjani Mwaruwari 49 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, Denny Landzaat Paul Scharner, Gary Teale, (David Cotterill 78), Emile Heskey, Henri Camara, (Andreas Johansson 89). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson, Josip Skoko

Booked, Fitz Hall 76 mins

Referee, P Walton

Attendance, 19,508

Wigan Athletic 1 v 0 Reading

2006-10-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday 26th August 2006

Wigan Athletic and Reading met in a quite unique Premiership fixture on Saturday. Everybody knows that the teams are the Premier League 'babies', but how many people realised that the meeting of these two clubs provided the first instance of two Premier League clubs playing against each other, having also done likewise in all three of the lower leagues?

This then is how far both clubs have come.

Defeat for Latics in this game was unthinkable as newly promoted Reading would have been six points clear of the Blues, which in turn must have added a bit of pressure on the team. However, Latics started the game brightly and Emile Heskey, one of six players making their home Premiership debuts was working hard, linking up well with Henri Camara up front.

With twenty minutes on the clock Camara left the pitch with what looked like a hamstring strain and he was replaced by David Connolly and you sensed that Latics faced an uphill task from that moment on as the Senegal striker was tearing up the Reading defence at will until his enforced exit from the field of play.

Two minutes later the impressive Bobby Comvey had a shot saved by England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland whilst Emile Heskey was finding his way into referee, Mike Riley's book for the second consecutive game in the 23rd Minute. Luis Antonio Valencia had been endearing himself to the home fans and the Ecuadorian contingent in the East Stand with some superb football and he was unlucky not to score from a free kick in the 28th minute.

However, it only took another ten minutes for Latics to take the lead when Lee McCulloch set up Heskey on the edge of the Reading area, who in turn slammed the ball past Marcus Hahnemann in the Reading nets. This seemed to settle Latics down and rattled the Reading team who looked like conceding more goals and McCulloch was desperately unlucky not to score his second goal of the campaign two minutes from half time.

The half time whistle came as a relief to the Royals and they and their thousand or so travelling fans couldn't complain about the score line.

The second period started with no changes to either side with Reading looking dangerous on the break but defensive home debutants Emmerson Boyce and Fitz Hall, marshalled superbly by Arjan De Zeeuw looked comfortable, whilst you felt the Reading back line was looking slightly feeble. However, David Connolly was failing to inspire the team in front of goal and a general lack of penetration was slowly but surely beginning to frustrate the players and the somewhat muted fans and would get worse as the game wore on. Paul Scharner found his name in the referee's book in the 49th minute following a cynical foul on James Harper as he sped past him an on towards the Latics goal.

On the hour mark Heskey was clean through on goal with only Hahnemann to beat but he agonisingly hit the roof of the net with his attempted chip shot. Meanwhile Reading's Korean winger Seol Ki-Hyeon was booked for a cynical foul on Paul Scharner a minute later. On the 63rd minute mark Valencia was denied a goal when he unleashed a rasping shot which unfortunately struck Connolly, as opposed to the back of the Reading net!

Royals boss Steve Coppell made his first substitution of the game just seconds later, replacing Bobby Comvey with former Sunderland winger John Oster and in the 69th minute Stephen Hunt was brought onto the field of play to replace Seol Ki-Hyeon who had had a torrid time trying to get the better of England Under 21's left back, Leighton Baines.

With quarter of an hour remaining Pascal Chimbonda started to warm up and this produced some warm hearted applause, although there was still an element of the crowd not prepared to 'forgive and forget' the Frenchman's antics during the close season. However, whilst he is still a Wigan player it would be wise for the fans to all back him to the hilt every time he pulls on a Latics kit. He is simply too good a player to be left on the sidelines and he proved this within a minute of replacing Heskey in the 76th minute. Almost immediately he set off on a run almost the full length of the pitch along the right wing and whipped in delightful cross which was cut out by a Reading defender for a corner after Connolly failed to connect with it.

Two minutes later home debutant Denny Landzaat is substituted by Graham Kavanagh and you sensed that Latics were going to try and hang on to what they'd got. Graham had an amazing chance to seal the game in the 84th minute when he broke away from his marker and raced clean through on goal. Everybody was waiting for the ball to slam into the Reading net, but Kav shot straight at Hahnemann, when he had all the time in the world to run round him to score.

Then came a scare for Latics as Leroy Lita broke through the normally solid Latics defence in the 88th minute. Having raced through on goal with only England's number one to beat, Kirkland proved what a quality goalkeeper he is by saving bravely at the strikers feet. The save seemed to boost Latics and the last few minutes of the game went by relatively calmly and the first three points of the season had been earned, moving the Blues up to twelfth position in the fledgling Premiership table.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, Denny Landzaat (Graham Kavanagh 78), Paul Scharner, Lee McCulloch, Emile Heskey, (Pascal Chimbonda 76), Henri Camara, (David Connolly 20). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson.

Goal scorers, Emile Heskey 38 mins

Booked, Emile Heskey 23 mins, Paul Scharner

READING Marcus Hahnemann, Graeme Murty, Ivar Ingimarsson, Sam Sodje, Nicky Shorey, Seol Ki-Hyeon, (Stephen Hunt 69) Steve Sidwell, James Harper, (ShaneLong 87), Bobby Convey, (John Oster 64), Kevin Doyle, Leroy Lita, Subs not used, Graham Stack, Brynjar Gunnarsson.

Booked, Seol Ki-Hyeon 60 mins,

Referee, Mike Riley (Yorkshire)

Attendance, 14,636

Newcastle United 2 v 1 Wigan Athletic

2006-10-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday 19th August 2006

Wigan Athletic started the season with a new look team at St James' Park today. No fewer than six new faces were on display for the Blues with England goal keeper Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, Dutch international midfielder Denny Landzaat, Ecuador right winger Luis Antonio Valencia and former England striker Emile Heskey all making Paul Jewell's starting line up.

The Magpies, who have struggled to add to their squad during the pre season were at least boosted by good news from the midweek international games with goal keeper Shay Given and Steven Carr and Damien Duff returning unscathed.

It was Newcastle who started brighter but both the new Latics defenders Boyce and Hall under pressure on a pitch that was very close to being waterlogged after an earlier torrential downpour in the City. Duff and Shola Ameobi missed early chances as the Latics side stated to get frustrated and as early as the eighth minute Latics picked up their first booking when Emile Heskey was booked for a horrible tackle on Celestin Babayaro, although the very wet pitch could have been the main culprit of the challenge.

Two minutes later Nicky Butt received a bang to his head which necessitated his substitution on the quarter hour mark Charles N'Zogbia replacing him. Two minutes later Scott Parker let loose with a ferocious shot from long range, but England goal keeper Chris Kirkland produced a stunning save to deny the Magpies what would have been a deserved opening goal.

On the twenty minute mark Latics decided that they had better participate a bit more in proceedings, Heskey and Henri Camara teamed up well to force two corner in the 25th minute, but both corners were cleared by the Magpies defence who were defending in numbers to deny the Wigan attacks.

As the game edged towards half time there were concerns that the weather was ruining the game as tackles by both sides, were getting a bit dangerous due to the very wet conditions. Then in the 38th minute, with the Blues in the ascendancy persistent running from Ameobi paid off for former Latics transfer target Scott Parker as he headed the Magpies in front following Ameobi's pinpoint cross.

The goal seemed to galvanise Latics as both Emile Heskey, in the fortieth minute and Henri Camara three minutes later missed golden opportunities to equalise, with Camara's effort deflecting of Lee McCulloch which enabled Given to make the save.

Latics went in at half time 0-1 down and could have felt aggrieved, but at least the chances were coming and the game was still in the balance.

An army of St James' Park ground staff started removing surface water as soon as the players were in the tunnel, and with the weather looking just a bit better it looked like their hard work had indeed saved the game from being abandoned, although within seconds of the restart there was still a lot of surface water re appearing.

Newcastle made a half time substitution, replacing Craig Moore with England Under 21 international Steve Taylor, whilst the Latics line up remained unchanged. The game re started at a slower pace and it was Newcastle who had the first shot at goal on the 50 minute mark, when Steve Carr shot straight at Kirkland in the Wigan goal. That seemed to be the fuse that lit up an electrifying second half. Within three minutes of Kirkland's save Denny Landzaat had blazed a free kick over the bar, whilst Arjan De Zeeuw was unlucky to see Nolberto Solano clear his goal bound header off the line with Given beaten all ends up.

Three minutes later all Latics fans were holding their breath as Kirkland went down heavily after clattering into Ameobi. Both players needed treatment on the pitch and almost a soon as play had resumed, in the 59th minute, Lee McCulloch scored the Latics equaliser as Steven Carr failed to clear a Heskey drive with the ball falling perfectly for the Scotland international to rifle home.

However, just five minutes later the Magpies were in front again when Chris Kirkland could only parry a Charles N'Zogbia shot which fell to Ameobi who gleefully slammed the ball home as the rain started lashing down again. Paul Jewell was livid at the Latics defence who had gone AWOL just when they needed to be at their most alert when Damien Duff originally threaded the ball through to N'Zogbia who had acres of space in which to create the goal.

With fifteen minutes remaining Emile Heske headed tamely wide just before Newcastle boss Glen Roeder made his final substitution, bring on Albert Luque for the injured Shola Ameobi. Ameobi was the Magpies only goal threat and it soon became clear that Newcastle had settled for hanging on to what they'd got, hoping to sting Latics on the break. Within a minute Latics had forced a corner but as Landzaat swung the ball in Latics were penalised for a foul on Luque.

In the 78th minute, following a superb break by Camara, Landzaat missed the chance of the match. Camara passed to the Dutchman from the bye line, and instead of scoring what would have been a glorious debut goal, he blasted the ball high wide and not so handsome over the Newcastle bar.

The final ten minutes saw Latics pressing for the equaliser but the Newcastle defence was holding firm. Jewell brought on Graham Kavanagh for Landzaat for the final five minutes and then with a last throw of the dice David Connolly replaced Luis Antonio Valencia with a minute of the game remaining, but despite the best efforts of the Wigan team the Magpies held on for the 2-1 victory.

The crowd of 51, 569 had witnessed a great game played in bad conditions. Latics fans in that crowd travelled home safe in the knowledge that the Blues would play a lot worse this season and still win.

NEWCASTLE UNITED, Shay Given, Celestine Babayaro, Stephen Carr, Titus Bramble, Craig Moore, (Steve Taylor 46), Nicky Butt, (Charles N'Zogbia 15), Scott Parker, Belozoglu Emre, Damien Duff, Nolberto Solano, Shola Ameobi, (Albert Luque 75). Subs not used, Steve Harper, James Milner.

Goal scorers, Scott Parker 38 mins, Shola Ameobi 64 mins

Booked, Albert Luque 90 mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, Luis Antonio Valencia, (David Connolly 89), Denny Landzaat (Graham Kavanagh 85), Paul Scharner, Lee McCulloch, Emile Heskey, Henri Camara, Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson, David Wright.

Goal scorer, Lee McCulloch 59 mins

Booked, Emile Heskey 8 mins, Luis Antonio Valencia 56 mins

Referee, Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)

Attendance, 51, 569

The Legend - Micky Worswick

2006-10-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

MICKY WORSWICK TALKS TO YOTAC!

Just recently, I have had the privilege of getting the legendary Micky Worswick to promise to provide YOTAC visitors with some of his memories of playing for Latics in the non league days. I thought this would be a very good idea and provide the perfect platform to entertain, and hopefully educate, some of the newer Latics fans following our elevation into top flight football. Wigan Athletic AFC is a proud club with a fantastic tradition. Before the pomp and the glamour of the Premiership this club was one of the greatest non league clubs in the world and had some of the finest non league players play, with a huge amount of pride and not a little skill at the housing estate that was Springfield Park. Micky Worswick was one of the very best.

Says Micky, "It was a phone call from Les Rigby, just after he had taken over from Gordon Milne, that started it all off. He wanted to buy me from Chorley, for £200 I think it was, and make me his first signing along with my old mate Mick Taylor from Netherfield. It took me about two seconds to say yes to joining the finest non-league club in the country, and would you believe, I did not even discuss terms with Les. He just said, "don't worry it will be okay" and of course it was okay - for the next six wonderful seasons or so".

During a previous session of me badgering Micky to help to bring the past alive once more, I enquired as to how it felt to play with Kenny Morris and Billy Sutherland, among others.

Micky answered, "Among the players that you mentioned Bernard were Kenny Morris and Billy Sutherland, the best pair of full backs that ever played non-league football. Whenever I played out wide on the left, or the right, I always felt safe with those two behind me and with the legendary JK (he means the mercurial Johnny King - ed), being another 'minder' in midfield, not many opponents took the liberty of trying to kick me off the park! One particular incident regarding Kenny that I will never forget was during an away match at Boston when their back four had pushed our front men up to the halfway line and a ball from one of our defenders was knocked long over the top of us on it's way towards their keeper. But no one had noticed that Kenny was coming through on a full head of steam past us all deep into the Boston half. 'Surely he won't keep going?' I thought, as the odds were about 70-30 in the keepers favour. But kept on going he did and a few minutes later, after the goalie had been stretchered off to Boston Royal and Kenny had fortunately only been booked, he trotted back past us towards his right back position and muttered "well I wasn't going all that way for ++++ all was I" (Priceless)."

By now Micky was in full reminiscent mode and continued......

"I would imagine that the tunnel incident involving Kingy against Great Harwood is still mentioned from time to time in Wigan. Well I was coming up the tunnel at half time just behind John, and all I can say is that it was not pretty and on that note I think the incident is best put to bed. Kingy and Rogers (John - ed), as I am sure you are aware, were a bit like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, all action, on and off the pitch, never a dull moment and a million laughs along the way.

"Micky, obviously not one to forget the often unmentioned players of the time cited how one particular player and his team mates could rattle in the goals for Latics (from 1972 until the advent of Latics' election into the Football League) from all positions on the park, "There is one player who is maybe not as well remembered as some of the others of the time and that is Albert Jackson. He was a fabulous goal scoring centre half, he seemed to score headers from set pieces almost every game, in fact I came across a programme recently from the 1973/74 season and on 23rd February 1974 our leading scorers were Albert Jackson (18), Tony Marsden (18), John Rogers (13), and myself lagging behind on 10. What an incredible feat for a centre half! Oh and Billy Sutherland and Kenny Morris had scored half a dozen between them. Goals came from all over the park in that team. Bernard I'm off to pick my two grand daughters up from school but more memories will follow soon if I'm not boring you too much.

RegardsMick.

Micky, there is no way that you ever did, or ever will, bore any true Wigan Athletic (or Chorley) fan and here's hoping that we can all hear from you on a regular basis.

PLEASE!

Got an opinion?

MICKY WORSWICK TALKING ABOUT LATICS CUP RUNS AND WAYNE ROONEY

The legendary Micky Worswick has been in touch again, as he promised. Hi again Bernard, As I write this (12-15pm Sat) you are no doubt inside the JJB waiting for kick off, so good luck and my fingers are crossed for a memorable victory.I thought it might be of interest if I wrote a few words about some of the various cup matches that I played in during my time at Springfield Park. I'll start off with our FA Trophy run in the 1972/73 season.

This was a marvellous time for players and fans alike, we played eight games in all before reaching Wembley and one of my lasting memories was winning the semi final replay against Stafford Rangers at Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park. And the party that followed it in the Springfield Park social club when we got back, which was filled to the rafters with our wonderful supporters. One thing that I could never understand about that cup run was the venue for the semi-final, Port Vale's ground, situated about ten miles north of Stafford, and remember this was not over two legs, the Oldham venue was a replay. A semi -final like that with a once in a lifetime chance for most of the players to play at Wembley should surely have been at a more neutral venue.

I think though that it probably made us even more determined to win through. Before carrying on with his e-mail he took a break to take in the Preston North End v Sunderland Championship clash and obviously returned home very happy after seeing 'his' Lilywhites stun the Black Cats. He was also disappointed about the Latics result and enquired as to how the Latics fared. I e-mailed back...... Thanks for more of those wonderful memories Micky.As for the United game, we played very well in the first half and Baines' goal was an absolute cracker! That lad is destined to play for England. He is certainly a better left sided player than Wayne Bridge and Latics, if they continue to struggle (just four wins from our last 19 now) may have a job to keep hold of him when the transfer window opens in January.

Alex Ferguson must have dusted down his hair dryer in the dressing room at half time because United came out for the second half and obliterated us. Oh, and for those people who think Wayne Rooney is over hyped - they are talking absolute rubbish. He was the best player on the pitch by a mile.Being in the Premiership is a dream come true to fans like me and on many occasions last season players like Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney, Edgar Davids, Steve Gerrard, John Terry - and Pascal Chimbonda mesmerised me. In fact Henry is without doubt the best player I have ever seen 'live'.I feel desperately sorry for people like Arthur Horrocks, Jack Sudworth and Ronnie Charlton, all people who deserved to live this dream that I'm living. Stalwart fans like the, err, loud Jack Meredith and little Ernie Claxton also deserved to see these days. However, I digress and can talk and write about Latics and their fans forever. So I'll pack it in now!

Preston seem to be going great guns and I suspect Roy Keane borrowed Fergie's hair dryer to use on his players later that day! Although Latics and Preston were rivals for many years after our election into the football league, it would be great to continue that rivalry in the Premiership. Just imagine, Wigan, Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Preston North End - almost half of the Premiership fixtures would be local derby games. All we would need then would be for Burnley to finally get their act together!Micky's first e-mail continued...Anyway, back to yesteryear and a mention for Graham Oates a very classy midfield player who scored in five of the nine ties during that FA Trophy run including the only goal in the semi-final replay. A mention should also go to the late Ian Gillibrand, only five foot seven but a giant in stature in our wonderful defence, Gilly was our brilliant sweeper before sweepers were invented! Unfortunately, we really did not perform as well as we could have done in the final against a good Scarborough team, but our fans were certainly up to their usual standard, cheering us on for the full ninety minutes.

There is nothing to rival the magic of the FA Cup, and during my time at Wigan, I was fortunate to play in some memorable ties, none more so than the ones during the 1977/78 season when we beat York City 1-0, Sheffield Wednesday 1-0, with the only goal of the game coming from Maurice Whittles fabulous left footed free kick, and then losing 4-0 at St Andrews to a Birmingham City team that contained the likes of Trevor Francis Jim Montgomery, Keith Bertschin and Terry Hibbitt. Birmingham at the time were in 16th place in the old first division and above the likes of Middlesbrough, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City. Despite the heavy defeat I am sure the Wigan fans who were at the game will remember how well we played and deserved better than the result that we got in front of 30,000 fans. The Birmingham City manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, came straight into our dressing room after the game. We were sat there, very disappointed, when Sir Alf's voice broke the silence and he said to us all, "Lift your heads up, you can be very proud of your performance and you are a credit to yourselves, to your club and to your fans, well played", and with that he turned and headed off towards his own team's dressing room. Words that I am sure all the players and management team of Wigan Athletic on that day will never forget.

More to follow if that's okay. Regards Micky Micky has been in touch again after receiving my Manchester United e-mail and he commented...... Hi again Bernard, it really is good to swap memories with you and I must agree with you about Rooney even though I am not a Manchester United fan or a Liverpool fan or a fan of any other Premiership club, apart from our beloved Wigan Athletic.Speaking about Wayne Rooney, Micky commented, The lad is a rare talent, and managed in the right way, he can become the best player since Pele, (but that is just my opinion). I am writing now after a couple of drinks on a Saturday evening at my local pub, The Plough at Eaves, so please forgive any spelling errors or bad grammar. I haven't seen Baines's goal yet but one of my mates in the pub said that it was sensational, so I look forward to seeing it later. Yes, it is wonderful for the club to be playing at the very top level and I agree with you that it is a shame that some of the people who put so much into the club in the past are not here now to enjoy it. I really envy you for having had the pleasure to see the likes of Thierry Henry play in your wonderful stadium. Oh, by the way our fourth stand at Deepdale is going to be built during next summer which will hopefully stop you lot from singing "Three stands, you've only got three stands".

Sad to report Micky, that the Preston supporters' chant of "Three stands, you only need three stands!", will ring true if the Premier League and the clubs within it, Latics included, don't get their act together and give football back to the fans by lowering their astronomical match ticket prices.It's been great Micky, until next time, I wish you and your family all the best

MICKY'S MANAGERS

Hi again Bernard,

I thought it may be of interest if I wrote down some of my memories of the managers that I played under at Wigan. I'll start with Les Rigby who as you know signed me for Latics and who was a man with the most incredible knowledge of non-league players that I have ever known. He was well known at every non-league club from the Midlands upward, due to the fact that he was out watching matches every night of the week. He was also a man with a wicked and somewhat sarcastic sense of humour. One of his favourite pre match comments would go something like this, "Right son, I want you to go out there and play like you've never played before, I want you to play well!". Maybe some of the fans reading this will say, "Oh yea, the old one's are the best", but I am convinced that it must have originated from Les.

Incidentally, that is also a quote from one of Fred Eyre's books, (Kicked Into Touch - an awesome read - Ed), who many of the older Wigan fans will no doubt remember managed the Latics reserve team for a time during the mid to late seventies and I had the great pleasure of playing for Fred when I was coming to the end of my time at Wigan. I am still convinced that had he not turned to media work and after dinner speaking he could have managed at a very high level.

After Les, came the splendid Brian Tiler who had been a very good player with Aston Villa and Rotherham (his home town club) and indeed started off his time with us at Wigan as player manager. However, this turned out to be a mistake, as his best days as a player were behind him, and to his credit he recognised this pretty quickly. From then on he concentrated on management and turned out to be incredibly popular with his players. His motivational skills in the dressing room were second to none and he sent every player out onto the park feeling ten foot tall. In fact reading some of his programme notes from his time at Wigan he gave praise, not only to his players, but to his chairman and fellow directors, and also, just as importantly, to the fans.

In fact, in the 1974/75 season under Brian we won the Northern Premier League by attaining a record number of points, 72 I think it was, and that is when it was only two points for a win. A lot of credit for this success was down to him. Unfortunately, Brian left the club to go to the USA and manage in the North American League. Brian eventually came back to England and was Managing Director of Bournemouth FC when he was tragically killed in a car crash travelling to the 1990 World Cup in Italy with his good friend Harry Redknapp, who was fortunate to survive the smash that also claimed the lives of four other people.

Finally, I played under Ian McNeil, who will always be remembered as the manager who took the club into the Football League, and I will always be grateful to Ian and the board of directors for offering me a full time contract for that first historic season, even though I was 33 years of age at the time and had a steady job with British Aerospace. When I told them that I would not be turning full time professional they kindly asked me if I would like to stay as a part-time pro, an offer that I immediately accepted, even though I realised that it would be unlikely that I would get back into the first team. Nevertheless, I think I must have created some kind of record for Football League appearances --13 minutes I think it was , as a substitute against Newport County.

Ian McNeil was a canny little Scotsman, and as thrifty as many of his countrymen. I remember him taking us on a short pre season tour to Scotland where we were to be based in Edinburgh. Anyway, on the way up the M6 on the club coach Ian was asked about the accommodation that he had booked for us, "Well", he said, "I can tell you that it is a nice wee place and there are 15 singles for the players. On hearing this some of the younger players were rubbing their hands in anticipation of going on the pull in Edinburgh that night and maybe bringing some bonny Scots lassie back to their own room. Well sure enough the coach pulled up outside the hotel which looked tidy enough and once inside we were pointed in the direction of our accommodation, and sure enough 15 single beds it was. All in the same bloody dormitory! The wee Scotsman also had a warped sense of humour.

Regards Mickey

Got an opinion?