Victor Moses narrowly missed out on a hat-trick

Latics conjured up a magical 45 minutes of attacking football, most probably their greatest under Roberto Martinez, to completely pummel fourth-placed Newcastle into submission by half time. Victor Moses first headed home Emmerson Boyce’s deep cross on 12 minutes before doubling his tally less than 120 seconds later. Shaun Maloney expertly finished off another superb Latics passing move on 35 minutes, while Franco Di Santo’s precision chip from well outside the penalty area found the top right-hand corner of Tim Krul’s goal in first half stoppage time.

Martinez drafted the influential Shaun Maloney back into the starting lineup, and Franco Di Santo, rated ‘doubtful’ prior to the game, recovered from his knock last Saturday to retain the holding centre-forward berth. Yes, Roberto had the luxury of reverting to the lineup that conquered Liverpool, Stoke and Man United – and it positively paid dividends.

The home side were quick off the mark, earning themselves a couple of corners in the first five minutes with some forward-thinking football. Di Santo and Moses had subsequent shots blocked and saved respectively in a period that set the tone for the remaining 35 minutes or so of the first stanza. Of course, Newcastle weren’t without their moments; Emmerson Boyce brought down Cheick Tiote right on the edge of the Wigan area, but Yohan Cabaye’s probing cross could not be controlled by Papiss Cisse, at least not with a hassling Antolin Alcaraz in attendance.

There followed a brief break as Demba Ba picked up a niggle in a hefty challenge with Maynor Figueroa, and a revitalised Latics (or at least Victor Moses) seemed to emerge the other side having retrieved their finishing boots from the bench. Emmerson Boyce worked himself some space on the right wing and delivered a dangerous left-foot cross to the edge of the 6-yard box, where Victor Moses was waiting to head the ball past a helpless Krul. Latics hardly had time to celebrate before they had the ball in the Newcastle net once more; a Jean Beausejour ball in from the left channel was initially blocked, but Moses was again on hand to mop up the spoils and snaffle his sixth of the season.

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