Al Habsi pulled off a couple of top saves, but was mostly powerless

Wigan suffered a miserable defeat in even worse conditions at the DW Stadium, partly due to their own defensive frailties but also because of Sunderland’s sheer excellence in front of goal. Though the hosts enjoyed a great first half, they would go into the break 1-0 down and failed to find an answer to the Black Cats’ immense finishing as 2012 got off to the worst possible start.

Latics really went for it in the first stanza, and could so easily have taken the lead as early as the tenth minute when Steve Gohouri forced a goal line clearance from Craig Gardner. The home side settled down to boss the game, getting the ball on the turf and keeping some possession. The undoubted chance(s) of the half fell first to David Jones, who cut his way superbly through the penalty area and beat Mignolet, only to see his strike hit the post. From the resulting rebound, Ronnie Stam played a fantastic ball through to Watson, who emulated Jones’ effort by almost immediately hitting the other post.

The lively Albert Crusat, starting in place of a rested Victor Moses, impressed in his 38 minutes on the field of play. He would have to be replaced by said Anglo-Nigerian when he suffered a somewhat innocuous knock in the back, but it didn’t stop the Latics pressure. Opportunities would also fall to Gomez and the dangerous Jones before the half was out, but the Black Cats keeper was equal to both. Wigan did not want this half to end… or did they? Conditions had become almost unplayable by this point as what seemed like a hurricane swept across the DW Stadium. All sensible football went out the window as both teams humped the ball around, evidently waiting for the half time whistle.

Under cloak of heavy rain, Sunderland delivered the sucker punch, a real telling blow from which Wigan never really recovered. Bendtner won a slightly suspect free kick on the edge of the area, which Gardner struck home with immense power and placement. A cracking free kick, but Wigan really did not deserve it after dominating the half, and if climactic conditions continued the same way, it would be difficult to see any sort of goals, or even anything. Though the weather cleared to restore visibility, many will be wishing it did not.

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Franco Di Santo (above) teamed up with James McArthur to pinch the points for Latics

Franco Di Santo and James McArthur were the heroes as Latics rode their luck, spied their chances and stole all three points in the dying minutes of what transpired to be an open contest at the Stadium of Light. Earlier, Victor Moses and Conor Sammon had been the driving force behind an improved second-half performance which built upon Jordi Gomez’s 44th minute equalising penalty.

Martinez kept faith in the same starting XI that oh-so-nearly orchestrated a win at the DW last week, with James McCarthy retaining his place after talk of a minor leg injury. Hugo Rodallega and Ben Watson would once again have to satisfy themselves with a place on the bench as Roberto’s new-look side set out to continue their unbeaten run (admittedly, of one game).

One goal apiece represented a decent half time return for what was, in essence, a Sunderland steamroller job. The only lacking aspect was that (Latics-esque?) finishing touch as chance after wonderful chance was carried away on the brisk afternoon breeze and sailed down the Tyne into a sea of lost hope. Or, as it is more commonly known, the North Sea.

Some characteristically iffy Latics defending helped the home side’s cause, but the Black Cats’ nine attempts on target yielded just the one goal – and that was chiefly due to a mistake from Ali Al Habsi. Kieran Richardson’s strike bounced just in front of the Omani, who could not cling on to the slippery ball. Sebastian Larsson was quickest to react, though to be fair there were two more Sunderland men waiting to pounce had the Swede failed to make up the ground. Hey, it wouldn’t be a Latics match without an early goal against, would it?

Hard to believe that Wigan actually made the immediate running. Victor Moses could not prevent his long-range shot from being deflected horribly wide, while Jordi Gomez also directed a firm strike right at Keirin Westwood. However, from then until the half hour mark it was all Sunderland, who engulfed the away penalty area like flies around a discarded half-consumed Ribena carton (it’ll make more sense a bit later on).

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“You are always one defeat away from a crisis. On that basis, we’re in deep doodoo*.” — Villa manager John Gregory, 1999

*Word substituted for something more sanitary.

Lee Cattermole helped Steve Bruce get one over on his old club

Ahh, the joys of a good old-fashioned relegation scrap. Another week, another 90 minutes of tension, except this time round there was also a tinge of expectation. That’s what a solid performance, and more importantly a win, can do for your side. Moreover, previous weeks have seen particular fixtures involving fellow relegation battlers to Wigan’s benefit, meaning the win over Blackpool was enough to lift us out of the bottom three for the first time in what seems like months. It’s like a weight off your shoulders; after so many weeks of negativity and worry, just one win can drastically change moods and, hopefully, fortunes.

For a change, Latics went into this game on a high and with a real chance to pull further clear of the relegation places. The Black Cats had managed just one point in their last nine games, but this is less surprising when you consider the teams they’ve come up against – even the best of sides are going to struggle when faced with Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City within the space of two months. In Latics’ favour were Steve Bruce’s injury worries – Bramble, Mensah, Gordon and Campbell were all missing for today’s game with one problem or another, and things were about to get far worse in that respect.

Wigan were somewhat luckier, with only Maynor Figueroa out due to suspension. He’ll return for selection next week, but in the meantime Steve Gohouri has been filling in at left back. He and the rest of the Latics team travelled to the north east in good cheer, hoping to put one over on their old boss. Past encounters with Brucey’s new side had been favourable for Wigan, just about, with two draws and a Latics win since 2009.

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I go on hiatus for a week and on my return find my comment queue filled with spam, each and every message containing absolutely nothing to do with football. Well, I suppose that’s what you get for not posting in… however many days it’s been.

Latics were also back in action this afternoon. Not that I was in any position to attend, for which I have Heritage Open Days to thank. You won’t hear me complaining (well, not much anyway), but it is a bit awkward that the thing clashed with this afternoon’s encounter with the Black Cats at the DW. Must be why they held the Wigan events at Leigh Civic Square.

Whatever the case, I was limited to just a second half WISH FM commentary of the match, which I count myself lucky to have heard at the very least. For this very reason, my post-match thoughts won’t be too comprehensive since all I have to go on are the biased opinions of Messrs Lovett and Rimmer. Yep, he of Neil Rimmer’s Perm Fame.

From what I can gather, the afternoon wasn’t a complete disaster. After our previous result, it was good to follow up and actually consolidate, to use an oft-quoted term. By which I mean I’m glad we didn’t lose, even though you’d have thought a win might be up for grabs after ex-Ticsmon Lee Cattermole’s sending off relatively early in the piece.

We’re still waiting for the two Prem wins on the bounce under Bob, though. Our own Spanish Supremo went with the same side that somehow stole all three points at White Hart Lane two weeks ago with new boys Di Santo and Cleverley taking a seat on the bench at the DW (which is actually more like a series of plush car seats).

Al-Habsi retained his place in the Latics goal even though reports suggest Kirkland was fit enough to return to the fold. Then again, with Kirky, you never know what sorts of little niggles and knocks he might have picked up on the car journey to the game. Notwithstanding this, I (and indeed most) would say Bob had to go with the Omani on recent form.

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