By Alan Duffy

Wigan Athletic 1-1 Everton – Premier League – 4th February 2012

A late Victor Anichebe goal was enough to rob perpetual strugglers Wigan of a vital and rare victory. The defeat leaves the Latics bottom of the table and looking like dead certs for the drop.

The first-half was a disjointed, uninspiring affair, which wasn’t helped by the atrocious conditions. New-signing Darron ‘with an ‘O” Gibson missed the best chance of the half, with Steven Pienaar, on loan from Tottenham, impressing in midfield.

In the second period, David Moyes gave Nikica Jelavic his Everton debut in an attempt to break the deadlock but it was another sub, Phil Neville, who would open the scoring, albeit for the wrong side. Winger Jean Beausejour fired in a cross, which the former Man Utd man inadvertantly steered towards his own goal. Toffees ‘keeper Tim Howard should still have saved the deflected ball, but the spin bamboozled the usually reliable glovesman, and sailed into the net.

Robert Martinez’ side could smell victory, but then, with seven minutes on the clock, another sub, the perenially mediocre Victor Anichebe, nodded home a Leighton Baines centre, leaving Wigan to rue yet another missed opportunity to move off the bottom.

While the Toffees float around mid-table as per usual, surely the Latics are now destined for the drop?

Photos…

Highlights…

Photos: PA

                          

By Chris Wright

Remember on Tuesday evening? When Benoit Assou-Ekotto very nearly carved Franco Di Santo’s leg in twain with a disgusting, over-the-ball leg-breaker of a horror tackle?

A tackle, it’s perhaps worth noting, that apparently didn’t merit any form of punishment for BAE from either the referee at the time (as the blood sopped through the Argentine’s sock) or the FA’s disciplinary committee? This stomach-churner…

“Couldn’t have been that bad,” I hear you cry. “The FA would have banned Assou-Ekotto if it was,” I hear you add in addendum.

To that end, I present you with Exhibit A; the photo Di Santo has since posted on his Facebook page – showing the full extent of his mangled shin after the game.

Be warned. ‘Tis a bloody aftermath and not for the eyes of those who can’t get through an episode of Holby City without parting ways with their lunch. In short, it ain’t pretty…

Yeesh. Benoit? You’re a lucky, lucky boy.

Image: Wigan Today

                          

By Alan Duffy

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Wigan Athletic – Premier League – 31st January 2012

Welsh wing-wizard Gareth Bale was once again Tottenham’s star performer as the north Londoners got their title tilt back on track at White Hart Lane in front of Harry Redknapp, who was back in the dug-out to watch his charges win.

Both the former Saint and midfield schemer Luka Modric were unstoppable against a Wigan side stuck to the bottom of the table. Bale opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, volleying home after a glorious pass from Modric and just five minutes later, the Croatian got on the scoresheet himself, after making the most of a ricochet.

Roberto Martinez’ Latics had impressed to an extent in the first-half, with Franco Di Santo going close, and once again they pushed forward after the break in the hope of salvaging something from the game. However, on 64 minutes, that man Bale made it 3-0.

To their credit, Wigan did pinch a goal back , when James McArthur chipped in late on. However, by then, the game was all but over.

Tottenham were lucky not to see Benoit Assou-Ekotto receive his marching orders for a horribly high challenge on Di Santo, but there was nothing fortunate about the victory. Wigan, on the other hand, need all the luck they can get.

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Highlights to follow…

Photos: PA

                          

By Alan Duffy

Queens Park Rangers 3-1 Wigan Athletic – Premier League – 21 January 2012

After seeing his side produce an impressive performance against Wigan at Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon, new QPR boss Mark Hughes surely wouldn’t have cared what his players were Tweeting about.

Veteran striker Heidar Helguson opened the scoring for the home side on the half-hour mark, scoring from the penalty spot after James McCarthy handled in the Wigan box. Hungarian midfielder Akos Buzsaky then made it two on the stroke of half-time, courtesy of a superbly struck free-kick

Wigan struggled to get a handle on the game, but the Latics did get themsleves back into the match courtesy of another super free-kick, this time fired home by Hugo Rodallega. However, sub Tommy Smith would eventually seal the win for the home side, netting on 81 minutes to help condemn Roberto Martinez’s side to yet another defeat.

While Rangers’ boss Hughes can celebrate his first league win since moving to Loftus Road, Wigan’s hopes of escaping the drop-zone are looking increasingly doomed.

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Highlights to follow…

Photos: PA

                          

By Chris Wright

Seems like it was a bit of a rough old night for Sergio Aguero at the DW. Not only was he robbed of a clear goal-scoring opportunity by a flailing Honduran, Kun also saw a bobbing, weaving solo wondergoal nipped in the bud ten minutes from time.

After flitting his way past three Wigan defenders, Aguero finally set himself to pull the trigger before the crucial block was made, courtesy of a last-ditch interception by a big, awkward Bosnian lummox by the name of Edin Dzeko – a man, it should be pointed out, who is also employed by City…

Well in Son!

Video: 101GG

                          

By Chris Wright

This probably isn’t going to stay up for very long, but here we have Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa pulling off one of the most brazenly ridiculous handballs for quite a while as, with a matter of minutes left to play against Man City last night, the Honduran leaps like a salmon to blatantly swat a bouncing ball away with Sergio Aguero poised to scamper in on the Wigan goal from 45-odd yards out…

Figueroa saw yellow for his ineptitude, but I ask you; How is that not a red-card offence? I mean, it just is. Isn’t it?

Of course, Mancini was straight up doing his ‘imaginary card’ bit, though he later claimed it was alright because he was on the bench rather than yelling in the referee’s face. Hmmm…

Stay classy Bobby.

Video: 101GG

                          

Wigan Athletic 0-1 Manchester City – Premier League – 16th January 2012

An Edin Dzeko header midway through the first-half was enough to give Manchester City a win at the DW Stadium on Monday night, a victory that puts them three points clear of rivals Man United at the top of the table.

Despite propping up the table, Wigan battled hard against their superior visitors and could have gone ahead early on through Hugo Rodallega. However, it was the season’s best player so far, David Silva, who would eventually set up Dzeko’s goal on the 22-minute mark, floating in a free-kick which was superbly directed goalwards by the big Bosnian’s little forehead.

After the break, the home side once again worked hard to get back into the game, but they still had to rely on goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi on numerous occasions.

Ultimately thought, it was the Citizens who would take all three points and move clear at the top of the table. The Latics, on the other hand, stay anchored to the bottom.

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Highlights…

Photos: PA

                          

By Chris Wright

‘What goes around…’ and all that jazzaroonie.

Tim Howard admirably chose not to celebrate after opening the scoring for Everton against Bolton in specatcular, hoof-tastic fashion on Wednesday evening as a mark of respect for his opposite number, Adam Bogdan – telling reporters après le match that he’d ‘been there before himself a long, long time ago’ and that he knew ‘it wasn’t a nice place to be’.

The incident to which Howard was referring came back amidst the primordial ooze of 2005 when, while turning out for Manchester United’s second string against Wigan one night, Latic’s auxiliary stopper Floyd Croll (who sounds like he should be the owner of a lobster shack in New England somewhere, but is actually now Tiptree United’s incumbent No. 1) did this…

Simple, direct English football at it’s very finest.

                          

Manchester 5-0 Wigan Athletic – Premier League – 26th December 2011

Wigan’s recent resurgence took quite a mauling at Old Trafford on Boxing Day, with Dimitar Berbatov giving Sir Alex Ferguson a timely reminder of his quality in front of goal with a superb hat-trick.

Already a goal down after Ji-Sung Park fired home on eight minutes, the Latics’ hopes of a comeback were well and truly snuffed out by referee Phil Dowd on 38 minutes. Young striker Conor Sammon challenged makeshift centre-half Michael Carrick and was judged by Dowd to have aimed an elbow at the United player. However, it was a dreadfully harsh decision by the referee and one which ended the contest.

As well as Berbatov’s three goals, Antonio Valenica, who like Carrick was playing as part of a patched up United backline, also scored as Sir Alex Ferguson’s men continued to keep the pressure on City at the top of the table. Wigan, on the other hand, stay in the drop-zone although they’ll won’t face many tougher trips than this in the new year.

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Highlights…

Photos: PA