Hugo Rodallega impressed on his return to the starting XI

Latics battled their way to another well-earned point at a noisy Britannia Stadium. The visitors took the lead late in the first half and things were going swimmingly right up until Caldwell’s 76th minute sending off, which began a frantic 20-minute period with two penalties and three goals.

Hugo Rodallega returned to the Latics first team ahead of Conor Sammon, who could have started as the red card he received at Old Trafford last week was rescinded by the FA. In a rare change of lineup, however, Martinez opted for the Colombian, and will be glad he did as Rodders had a big hand in his side’s first goal. Victor Moses was the beneficiary, stealing in to slot away his second of the season off the underside of the crossbar bang on 45 minutes. Hugo provided the cross from the right wing, and for once a Wigan man was ready and waiting to knock home a great ball across goal.

The visitors weathered much of Stoke’s early pressure, but their job was made easier by the lack of shots on target. That’s not to say Al Habsi and the Wigan defence didn’t have anything to do, however – far from it. The Omani shot-stopper was called into action on numerous occasions to parry the many high balls into his goalmouth, and Caldwell and Alcaraz were made to hammer the ball clear more than once.

Wigan’s typical breakaway strategy was somewhat tempered by the challenge of a narrow pitch, Moses forced to come infield and pass backwards more often than not. On the other wing, Stam experienced some success, but by the 41st minute he was sufficiently frustrated to wallop the ball into the stand and received a yellow card for his troubles. He needed not worry too much, though, because Wigan were to end the half 1-0 to the good thanks to a well-worked Moses goal.

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Ha-yah: Rodallega cropped up to win the game on 78.

Latics ensured their Premier League survival with a significant away win, only their fourth of the season but arguably the most decisive. The tension and nerves of last week’s classic encounter with West Ham were simply hors d’oeuvres for today’s main course, which predictably proved nigh on indigestible for great periods. But did Martinez’s side get their just desserts for a season of toil at the foot of the table?

At half time, prospects for survival weren’t looking too great. Outmuscled and outplayed in all areas of the park, the visitors couldn’t string together two passes to save their Premier League life and only Momo Diame managed to even get a (misdirected) shot away. Their hosts could easily have scored from any of Rory Delap’s thunderbult throw-ins, and managed to scramble the ball over Wigan’s goal line on one occasion. Thankfully for Latics, Jonathan Walters was standing right in front of Al Habsi and in an offside position when Kenwyne Jones’s header hit the back of the net. Wigan collectively breathed a huge sigh of relief, but there was more to come.

Wigan Player of the Season Ali Al Habsi was in commanding form, producing two fantastic saves to deny Jones then Pennant, and controlling the six-yard area with some authority. Emmerson Boyce, too, took charge to clear yet another Jones effort off the goal line in spectacular fashion. Each of their team-mates, by contrast, was visibly nervous and could count themselves lucky not to be a goal (or two) down going into the break.

News of other scores filtered through to the visiting fans, who learned not much had changed from 45 minutes earlier – though a point would give their side a chance of survival, a win would more than likely be sufficient. One last fighting half of football would still be enough to grab the club a place in England’s top flight for 2011-12.

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Rory Delap: Beware the long throws of doom!

If ever the word ‘splurge’ could be applied to a football match, then the first half of this particular Premier League encounter was certainly that. Though four goals were scored, only one of them was a ‘proper’ strike; the other three came via deflections, and some fortuitous ones at that.

As is usual at the DW Stadium, Latics dominated possession but unlike normally, some actual attacking play was there to back it up. Had Antolin Alcaraz and Hendry Thomas managed to hit the target with the goal in their wake, we could have headed into the interval 3–2 to the good, and you probably wouldn’t have begrudged us that.

Stoke went ahead on 18 minutes thanks to a long-range free kick from Robert Huth. It wasn’t exactly spectacular, but chalked up the first strike of a half littered with goals, and set the precedent for deflected opportunities finding their way into the net. The German’s shot would take a considerable touch off the wall to leave Al Habsi floundering, unable to do a thing as the ball trickled over his goal line.

After some spirited pressure play from the Latics, which involved two good deliveries from Ben Watson, you felt a goal was on the way. Indeed, it was third time lucky as the aforementioned ex-Palace midfielder saw his ball fly past Asmir Begovic via the boot of Danny Collins for a deserved equaliser. At this stage, it seemed you just had to put the ball in the right area and it would somehow find its way over the goal line.

There was nothing fortunate about Stoke’s next goal, which caught Latics on the hop somewhat. After some good work by Kenwyne Jones on the right wing, Fuller held up the ball just inside the area and crossed for an advancing Etherington to score easily at the back post. Wigan were on level terms for less than two minutes.

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I’ve been slacking on the photo front (and in pretty much every other aspect of blog maintenance, come to think of it) recently, but rest assured there’s a nice selection of snaps from the Everton match (well, not the actual match, you understand – I’m not risking getting my season ticket revoked) on the way later this week.

That’s all in the near future, but console yourself in a brief array of pics from Stoke on Tuesday for the time being. As it was a night game, it was more difficult to get clear shots, hence the fewer than usual number of photos. However, there are a few good ones in there as well, including one or two of a very special guest… oh alright then, it wasn’t the real Stig, rather a person performing his role on behalf of either the BBC or some local company looking to capitalise on the popularity of Top Gear.

More pics from other dates at the DW — including those Boxing Day fancy dress snaps I promised you just over a month back — to come very soon. It seems I’ve got a bit of catching up to do.