Wigan came from behind to lift themselves out of the relegation zone following a well deserved win against an under-par West Brom side at the Hawthorns.
Jordi Gomez was the match winner for Roberto Martinez’s side scoring from the spot just before the hour mark to seal a second consecutive away win for the Latics. Victor Moses’ first goal of the season had earlier cancelled out Steven Reid’s superb opener before he then fouled the Wigan goalscorer allowing Gomez to convert from 12-yards. Baggies boss Roy Hodgson will be disappointed that his side failed to build on their lead as they faltered in front of their own fans once again. It was their fifth defeat in seven at the Hawthorns this season and Reid’s goal was only their sixth on home turf this season and losing against a team who started the day bottom of the table won’t have sat well in the stands. The Latics, on the other hand, will be delighted to be travelling back to the DW Stadium with three points in their back pockets as they finally exited the relegation for the first time since October.
It was the hosts who started brightly though with Chris Brunt stabbing Jerome Thomas’ cross over the bar before seeing his fierce 20-yard effort tipped onto the bar by Ali Al Habsi following Wigan’s failure to clear a corner. The visitors improved after that with Moses dragging two shots wide of goal as he sought to break his duck for the campaign. Albion were still on top though and it was only a matter of time before they opened the scoring with Thomas seeing his shot blocked by Gary Caldwell before the defender pulled back Shane Long by his shirt allowing Reid to slam a brilliant 25-yard free kick past Al Habsi to put the home side a goal to the good on 33 minutes. However that lead lasted only four minutes with Moses curling a brilliant equaliser in from the edge of the area to send Wigan in level at the break.
That goal seemed to give Martinez’s players the stimulus after the restart and duly took the lead on 57 minutes when Reid fouled Moses in the West Brom penalty area following a jinxing run. Gomez stepped up to send Ben Foster the wrong and give the Latics a lead that they held on to until the final whistle. They had to endure half an hour of incessant pressure from the home side with Thomas’ cross hitting the post before Jonas Olsson header. Paul Scharner then missed a glorious chance to snatch an equaliser but the Austrian could only head over the bar from six-yards.
[ad_pod id=’writer-2′ align=’right’]