Wigan 1-2 West Brom

West Brom finally got their first away
win of an increasingly impressive
season as they defeated Wigan 2-1 in
an entertaining clash at the DW
Stadium.
Albion, who are only outside the top
four on goal difference, had previously
garnered only two points on their
travels but took all three against the
Latics thanks to a James Morrison
header and an own goal from Gary
Caldwell, with Arouna Kone replying
for the hosts.
The home side, who came into the
game on the back of successive wins
against West Ham and Tottenham,
started brightly with their fast flowing
passing game backed up with the
necessary midfield bite from the
industrious James McCarthy.
And it was Wigan who created the first
chance of the game on 10 minutes,
Ben Watson seeing his crisp drive from
the edge of the area parried by Boaz
Myhill, deputising for the injured Ben
Foster in the Albion goal.
At the other end, West Brom's main
threat came initially from Jonas Olsson
whose muscular presence in and
around the penalty area sparked an
ugly exchange with Ivan Ramis and
eventually brought a stern lecture from
referee Neil Swarbrick.
But Steve Clarke's Albion mix brawn
with brain and it was the latter that led
to their well worked opener on 31, as
Chris Brunt's pinpoint cross was
headed powerfully home by Morrison -
although the Wigan defence could
have been awarded an assist for some
dreadful marking.
Visibly buoyed by their goal, the
Baggies sought to press home their
advantage with a second before half
time and it duly arrived a minute
before the break, the hapless Caldwell
diverting Billy Jones' cross-cum-shot
into his own net.
The home crowd were stunned - but
they found their voices within 60
seconds as Wigan immediately reduced
the deficit, Kone turning in Jean
Beausejour's teasing low cross at the
far post to bring a breathless first half
to a close.
The second half began in much the
same vein as the first with Watson
again forcing a save from Myhill with a
powerful strike from the edge of the
area (48).
However, West Brom weathered the
storm and were within a fingertip of
restoring their two goal cushion eight
minutes later, Ali Al-Habsi brilliantly
clawing away Romelu Lukaku's
goalbound shot.
The visitors sent on Zoltan Gera and
Peter Odemwingie for Morrison and
Shane Long as they sought to make
the game safe (68) but it was Wigan
who were looking the more likely
scorers as the game entered its closing
stages.
Franco Di Santo spurned a great
chance on 81, heading the ball against
Kone and over the bar with the goal at
his mercy but that was as close as the
Latics came as Albion held on to
record back-to-back wins for the first
time this campaign.