Saturday 30th January 2010
The Premier League
Wigan Athletic 0-1 Everton

Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez was gob smacked at the end of this game. He had seen his team lose to an 84th minute Tim Cahill headed goal, despite that being Everton’s second chance on goal during the whole game. For perhaps the only time this season he may well state that his team was the better team on the day but still lost.

The hosts have suffered some bad defeats so far this season but this was by far the worst and it is the one that has hurt the Latics faithful too. Larger defeats than this have happened on an almost regular occurrence and in truth Latics have been left lacking in all of them, but this was oh so different. But whilst it is perhaps unfair to single any player out, it must be said that Jason Scotland could have put Latics at least two goals to the good at half time.

On the 25th minute mark he was put through on goal and from a superb goal scoring position he missed the target when it was easier not to. In the 38th minute Scotland was through on goal with only Tim Howard to beat again, but his shot went high, wide and not very handsome into the Everton away following. Sandwiched between these chances was a superb Louis Saha drive that hit the post with Vladimirr Stojkovic well beaten, but any goal would have been ruled offside anyway.

The Toffees, whose main tactics were simply to fall down for a free kick at the merest hint of a Latics tackle were certainly there for the taking at it was a surprise that the half time whistle blew while the game was still scoreless.

The second half continued with Latics in the ascendancy and this in itself was something of a surprise because you can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times Latics have had a good first and second half of any game this season!

As time ticked away you sensed that only one goal was going to win this game and you also sensed that it would be the hosts who scored it. Then in the 84th minute Tim Cahill broke Wigan hearts when he headed past Stojkovic to dump the hosts deep into the relegation mire.

The damage could have been a lot worse but most of the teams below them did not take advantage. Wolves and Hull City, Amr Zaki and all, battled to a 2-2 draw, Liverpool beat Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United could only draw with Blackburn Rovers, Burnley were beaten at home by Chelsea and Fulham continued their plummet down the table courtesy of a home 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa.

Unless Wigan Athletic bring in a couple more players, and one must be a good striker, it looks as though the Blues will be looking for three teams worse than them to save their Premier League lives this season.

WIGAN ATHLETIC, Vladimir Stojkovic, Emmerson Boyce, Gary Caldwell, Titus Bramble, Maynor Figueroa, Charles N’Zogbia, Hendry Thomas, (Jordi Gomez 88), Mohamed Diame, (Paul Scharner 58), James McCarthy, Jason Scotland, (Scott Sinclair 80), Hugo Rodallega. Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Antonio Amaya, Ben Watson, Jason Koumas

EVERTON, Tim Howard, Johnny Heitinga, Leighton Baines, Philippe Senderos, Phil Neville, Tim Cahill, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman, Marouna Felliani, Louis Saha (James Vaughan 89), Landon Donovan, (Victor Anichebe 75). Suns not used, Carlo Nash, Diniyar Bilyaletdinox, Seamus Coleman, Jack Rodwell, Shane Duffy

Goal scorer, Tim Cahill 84 mins
Booked, Leon Osman 58 mins, Steven Pienaar 77 mins

Referee, Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
Attendance, 16,869