Wigan 0 - 1 Wolverhampton

Andy Keogh's header spoiled Wigan manager Roberto Martinez's 'homecoming' as Wolves outfought the hosts to win at the DW Stadium.

The Republic of Ireland international glanced a sixth-minute header in off a post, having shot against the same upright moments earlier.

Keogh should also have had a penalty 11 minutes after half-time but was booked for diving after going down under Titus Bramble's challenge.

However, his goal was enough to give Mick McCarthy's side their first away victory in 30 Barclays Premier League matches.

On their last appearance in the top flight in 2003/04 they failed to win outside Molineux, losing 12 and drawing seven times.

Wolves fully deserved their win after catching their hosts cold from the opening whistle.

After Jordi Gomez had blazed over Wayne Hennessey's weak punch from a second-minute Jason Koumas free-kick all the chances fell to the visitors.

They should have taken the lead in the fourth minute when Keogh, on the left of the area, cut back onto his right foot to curl a shot which rebounded back off the far post.

However, he made up for it soon after by putting his side ahead with the help of the same upright.

Keogh rose above a static Paul Scharner to glance Nenad Milijas' left-wing free-kick past Chris Kirkland and in off the woodwork.

Greg Halford should have made it 2-0 in the 15th minute when Keogh flicked on Milijas' corner but the unmarked midfielder ballooned the ball over from eight yards.

Gomez headed in Charles N'Zogbia's right-wing free-kick only to be flagged offside in a rare attack against a visiting side which had enjoyed all the early play.

Wigan began to fight their way back and sprang into life in a two-minute spell late in the half as N'Zogbia had a shot deflected over, Gomez fired the resulting corner into a crowd of players and Bramble headed another corner wide.

In that same period N'Zogbia had their best chance of the game when he ran on to Hugo Rodallega's flick on only to shoot tamely at Hennessy.

Wigan began the second half with much more purpose, Rodallega curling a free-kick at Hennessey after Koumas was fouled by Stearman having charged down a clearance.

However, 11 minutes in came a moment of controversy when referee Mick Jones booked Keogh for diving in the penalty area when it appeared Bramble had just caught him with an outstretched foot.

Stearman was booked in the 72nd minute for going in late on N'Zogbia before Karl Henry produced an inch-perfect tackle in the penalty area to deny Scotland.

Wigan stepped up the pressure and Rodallega's first-time shot from Mario Melchiot's pass was deflected wide by Jody Craddock while substitute Jason Scotland's low cross evaded his Colombian team-mate and N'Zogbia.

Another substitute Scott Sinclair headed Gomez's cross agonisingly wide at the far post and Scharner fired over in the last chances of the game as battling Wolves held on to record their first points of the season.

It left Wigan manager Martinez to work out how to find a way to get his side to turn their vastly superior second-half possession into clear-cut chances.

Wigan 1-0 Portsmouth

Chairman Dave Whelan may have been a little premature in raising the possibility of redistributing some of the Premier League's millions to allow Wigan fans in for free next season - many more displays like this and the locals will be happy to pay more to watch Steve Bruce's effervescent team.

If ever a side were hammered by a single goal, then it was Portsmouth, who were outclassed by a sparkling display from the hosts, whose only failing was that they did not reward their dominance with a glut of goals as they finished in 11th place.
Hugo Rodallega.

Hugo Rodallega scored the only goal of the game as Wigan ensured a winning end to their season

Bruce said: 'It's a terrific finish if you consider the size of some of the clubs who've been relegated.'

The hosts settled for just the one goal, after 27 minutes, rolled into an empty net from two yards by Hugo Rodallega for his third goal of the season. Sol Campbell, making his final appearance before leaving Fratton Park, failed to cut out a low cross from Charles N'Zogbia.

Rodallega should have scored more, but was one of several Wigan players thwarted by Portsmouth keeper Asmir Begovic.

It proved a fruitless return for Wigan-born Portsmouth manager Paul Hart, his task already complete having kept the south coast club up. 'I've been asked where this ranks among my achievements as a manager,' he said. 'If you look at my c.v. there aren't that many achievements anyway.'

Stoke 2-0 Wigan

Goals from Ricardo Fuller and James Beattie ensured Stoke signed off in their final home match of the season with a 2-0 win over Wigan.

The match only sprang into life in the last 20 minutes when Fuller's persistence saw him evade three defenders to fire past Richard Kingson.

Beattie headed home Matt Etherington's cross in the 76th minute as the Potters clinched their 10th victory this season at the Britannia Stadium.

Wigan have now failed to win in 15 of their last 17 Barclays Premier League matches and the end of the season cannot come quick enough for them.

Part of the reason for that terrible run is their inability to score, with just nine league goals since the start of the year, and the problem reared its head again.

The Latics had the better of the first half but could not take their chances, whereas in Fuller and especially Beattie Stoke have strikers who score important goals.

Wigan carved out their first chance less than two minutes in when Hugo Rodallega headed a long punt forward into the path of Paul Scharner but his angled drive was straight at Thomas Sorensen.

Debutant Cho Won-hee's 13th-minute through-ball sent Scharner running into the penalty area but although the Austrian went down in a tussle with Abdoulaye Faye referee Lee Probert waved play on.

Stoke's first shooting opportunity fell to Glenn Whelan moments later but he screwed a long-range effort well wide.

Cho, who had enjoyed a gentle introduction, forced Sorensen to tip over his 19th-minute 30-yard shot at full stretch but the Korean's second effort from the resulting corner was embarrassingly high.

Rodallega, after scoring in his last two matches, was next to try his luck from distance but he too was well off target.

Nothing was going right for either side; exemplified when one of Rory Delap's trademark long throws ended up in the back of the net without anyone getting a touch on it just after the half hour.

Faye's back-header from Kingson's long kick sent Rodallega clear but his shot from the right of the area rolled harmlessly across the face of goal.

Untidy play was evident at the other end too as Fuller's poor touch in the penalty area took Beattie's low cross away from the on-rushing Liam Lawrence.

There was no change in the level of quality unfortunately as within six minutes of the restart Lee Cattermole miscontrolled Charles N'Zogbia's left-wing cross inside the six-yard area when it looked easier to score.

N'Zogbia was not exempt from criticism either. First he was guilty of wastefully crossing too near Sorensen after Rodallega had dispossessed Danny Pugh to set up a counter-attack.

The French winger then blazed over having run 30 yards with the ball after Wilkinson's slip on the halfway line.

Cho was replaced by Ben Watson in the 58th minute, just before substitute Pugh's swerving half-volley from a partially-cleared corner flew inches over the crossbar and Wigan left-back Maynor Figueroa drilled a left-footed shot narrowly wide.

When the breakthrough came in the 69th minute it was largely thanks to Fuller's persistence and Wigan's inability to clear their lines.

There appeared to be little danger when Lawrence played a high ball up to the striker, closely watched by three defenders.

Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble and Figueroa all had chances to tackle Fuller but he battled on and somehow had enough time to pick a spot high to Kingson's right.

Mido was sent on for midfielder Michael Brown as Steve Bruce reverted to 4-4-2 but before they had time to reorganise Wigan were 2-0 down in the 76th minute.

Delap's ball inside Mario Melchiot released Etherington down the left and as Kingson raced out he scooped a cross to the far post where Beattie headed home.

With the match won the game reverted to type but that did not bother the home faithful one bit as they are already looking forward to a second successive season in the top flight.

West Brom 3-1 Wigan

Two goals from Marc-Antoine Fortune and another from Chris Brunt breathed new life into West Brom's bid to escape relegation.

Fortune's eighth-minute header was cancelled out by Hugo Rodallega's deflected free-kick but after the break Brunt converted his own penalty rebound and Fortune made the points safe in the 73rd minute.

The win, the Baggies' second in three matches, lifts them to 31 points and just three from safety.

However, their goal difference is currently inferior to Hull's and it may yet require four points from their final two matches to pull off the Great Escape.

If there is a growing belief at the Hawthorns, the opposite is happening at Wigan who seem to be coasting towards the end of the season having secured their top-flight future more than a month ago.

Their problem since the turn of the year has been scoring goals and that lack of confidence showed early on.

Rodallega volleyed wide and Antonio Valencia opted to pass rather than shoot with only goalkeeper Dean Kiely - in for the injured Scott Carson - to beat.

They were made to pay in the eighth minute when Brunt's square pass into the penalty area caught out the visiting defence, allowing Gianni Zuiverloon to shoot.

Chris Kirkland did well to parry but succeeded in only diverting it up in the air where the unmarked Fortune gratefully headed home.

It was Kirkland's last action as he went off injured moments later to be replaced by Richard Kingson.

By contrast, West Brom's second-string goalkeeper made a brilliant triple save at a Wigan corner when he blocked Charles N'Zogbia's first shot, saved Paul Scharner's rebound and turned N'Zogbia's close-range follow-up around the post.

It was not long before Kingson was in the game, however, palming Menseguez's shot wide after the on-loan Argentinian had put Titus Bramble on his backside with a neat turn in the penalty area.

West Brom were to regret missing that chance as, in the 17th minute, Rodallega finally ended his 11-match goal drought since signing in January.

The Colombia striker's 25-yard free-kick took a significant deflection off Brunt in the wall to wrong-foot Kiely, who could not keep the ball out despite his desperate efforts on the line.

Rodallega visibly grew in confidence and a driving 30-yard diagonal run from the halfway line ended with a fierce strike which just dipped over the crossbar.

Undeterred West Brom continued to push forward and Shelton Martis headed Jonathan Greening's 32nd-minute corner wide after beating Kingson to the ball while Fortune denied first by a perfectly-timed Scharner tackle and then by Kingson at his near post.

Valencia should have put the visitors ahead in stoppage time when he ran through on goal after nicking the ball off Jonas Olsson but he shot straight at Kiely.

Kiely came to West Brom's rescue eight minutes into the second half when he saved Mario Melchiot's toe-poke from Valencia's cut-back.

However, he could only watch as Scharner's angled left-foot shot from the resulting corner rolled agonisingly wide of the far post.

With matches running out West Brom knew they had to go for victory and Greening, after somehow running unchallenged from the halfway line, forced a good save out of Kingson when he should have scored.

Such incidents often make the difference between staying up and going down but West Brom were gifted the lifeline they needed in the 59th minute.

Fortune had turned Maynor Figueroa close to the touchline but appeared to be going nowhere when Bramble clipped him and referee Peter Walton pointed to the spot.

Kingson guessed correctly and saved Brunt's spot-kick but was powerless to prevent the West Brom midfielder smashing home the rebound.

Fortune's second in the 73rd minute made the points safe for the Baggies.

Borja Valero broke down the right and pulled the ball back to the striker and he controlled, did just enough to shift Melchiot to give him a sight of goal and fired low into the bottom corner.

As if things could not get any worse for Wigan, Zaki was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury just nine minutes after coming on as a substitute.

For the Latics the season cannot end soon enough but a rejuvenated West Brom want it to go on just a little longer.

Wigan 1 - 0 Hull City

Midfielder Ben Watson scored the only goal as Wigan wasted a host of chances yet still beat struggling Hull 1-0 at the JJB Stadium.

It appeared the Latics were heading for their seventh blank in 10 Barclays Premier League matches, after Mido and Hugo Rodallega had twice each squandered opportunities.

But Watson, signed from Crystal Palace in January, scored his second goal in a week with a looping 84th-minute volley.

It ended Wigan's run of back-to-back goalless home games and re-ignited hopes of qualifying for Europe next season as they moved up to seventh.

Hull are still in trouble near the foot of the table, just four points above the relegation zone and with only one win in their last 14 matches.

The pattern of play was established in the second minute when Charles N'Zogbia's long-range cross-shot had Matt Duke back-pedalling - and he only just managed to tip the ball over with the help of the bar and post.

When Dean Marney was robbed by Michael Brown from a Hull corner Wigan launched a swift counter-attack which saw N'Zogbia drill a pass across the six-yard area, the fingertips of Duke preventing Watson getting a touch.

Watson also forced Duke into a low save with a 25-yard shot in the 12th minute. Mido was next to squander a chance after Rodallega and Paul Scharner, making his 100th Premier League appearance, had exchanged quick passes to bypass the Hull midfield.

Scharner won a free-kick 20 yards out when Sam Ricketts pulled him down - a foul for which he was booked - but Rodallega curled his shot straight at Duke.

Mido fired over again from six yards after Scharner had out-jumped the defence to head Maynor Figueroa's long ball down to Rodallega.

The Colombia striker should have done better moments later, having raced on to Scharner's through ball with only the goalkeeper to beat - but Duke half-saved and then turned Scharner's follow-up for a corner.

Hull were forced to make a substitution in the 38th minute when the injured Andy Dawson was replaced by Richard Garcia.

It meant a reshuffle - with Ricketts switching sides, Bernard Mendy dropping to right-back and Garcia playing in front of him.

Mendy's first act as a defender was to be booked for a waist-high challenge on N'Zogbia in the centre-circle.

The Wigan midfielder was forced off after a crunching challenge with Kamil Zayatte in first-half injury time and was replaced after the interval by Daniel de Ridder.

Having spent long periods with little to do, Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland had to be alert to tip over Manucho's flashed header from Marney's 50th-minute corner.

Titus Bramble dived in at Garcia on the edge of the penalty area and was booked. But Wigan managed to clear former Wigan midfielder Kevin Kilbane's inswinging free-kick, before Craig Fagan was then cautioned for an unnecessary challenge on De Ridder.

Zayatte lasted just 15 minutes of the second half before being replaced by another Wigan old boy Caleb Folan, resulting in another defensive reshuffle.

Yet another chance went begging when Watson drilled a shot into the side-netting from the left corner of the penalty area - before substitute Amr Zaki rose highest in a crowd to head De Ridder's cross against the foot of a post with Duke beaten.

But the goal finally came in the 84th minute, partly thanks to a mistake from Duke.

The goalkeeper's weak punch did not get out of the penalty area - and when the ball dropped Watson looped a volley over Duke and in at the far post, despite Kilbane's best efforts to keep it out.

It was the former Crystal Palace midfielder's second goal in a week, after opening his account scoring in the 2-1 victory at Sunderland, and could not have come at a more timely moment with Wigan looking to have run out of ideas.

Match-winner Ben Watson believes Wigan's last gasp victory over Hull was just reward for a dominant team performance.

Watson scored his second goal in a week with a looping 84th-minute volley to end Wigan's run of back-to-back goalless home games and reignite their hopes of qualifying for Europe next season as they moved up to seventh in the Barclays Premier League.

But for long periods it had looked as if Steve Bruce's side might draw yet another blank after squandering a number of opportunities against the Tigers.

Watson said: "We had so many chances in the first half but we dug in and kept going and we got our reward.

"I should have got one in the first minute I think but it went straight through my legs, and then there was another one in the second half.

"But I think we dominated from the first whistle to the last whistle and we carried on, kept going and got our reward."

Watson said the squad had not let thoughts of Europe distract them from their main aim of staying in the Premier League.

He added on Sky Sports News: "We've not spoken about it, the main thing is staying in this division. We're taking it one game at a time and looking forward to the Everton game now."

Wonderful goal by N'Zogbia

Charles N'Zogbia's fine individual goal was the deciding factor in Saturday's away game at Sunderland and the icing on the cake after a good all-round performance for the team.

Latics' record signing has a habit of scoring special goals against the Black Cats having scored a similar one for Newcastle back in 2006, and speaking after the game he talked us through what was going through his mind when he picked up the ball deep in his own half:

"I wasn't really thinking I would go all the way and score when I got the ball, but all of a sudden we were two onto one, and at that point I just thought 'lets make them really work here'.

"I felt a push at one point but I stayed on my feet and when I got into the box I tried to take my chance and got my goal.

"It was a great time to score not too long after they got their equaliser.

"I think we were getting a bit frustrated and it was important to get back in front as quickly as possible, and to finish the first half in the lead was really good.

N'Zogbia slots the winner past Fulop

The goal meant that Wigan now move onto 38 points for this season, taking a huge step towards guaranteeing survival for next season and N'Zogbia explained what it meant to himself and the team to get such a good result:

"We're all happy today to have won the game, and for me personally it was great to score my first goal for Wigan.

"I was really happy for Ben Watson who got his first goal for the club as well, because he's a really nice guy and a very good footballer too. We all worked hard to get something from the game and that's exactly what happened.

"It's a good position to be in for us and after today's win we want to carry on winning and see what happens come the end of the season.

"Everyone's been really friendly since my arrival here and that's why we've got such a good team and obviously that's helped me in settling in."

Bramble focused on 'Magic 40'

With no wins in their last eight games, Latics are yet to reach the 40-point mark many regard as a safety-net for Premier League survival.

Speaking after Wednesday night's disappointing loss to West Ham Titus Bramble spoke of how he is determined to build on the strong performances the defence have put in this season and clear the 40-point hurdle:

"We're enjoying some good performances at the back, and we're at a stage where Boycey, Scharner and myself are all comfortable playing with each other and forming different partnerships.

"We want to hit that magical 40-point mark, that's really important to us. It's fortunate that teams below us keep getting beat so we'll make sure we get back to winning ways soon.

"Unfortunately we've lost our last two games now and we want to get another game underway to rectify that.

"We'll have to work hard in training and focus on getting three points at Sunderland."

Bramble also gave his analysis of the West Ham game, applauding the goal that separated the two teams:

"We're disappointed to lose the game of course, especially after having lots of possession.

"It was a really stop and start type of game that never got a chance to get going and it didn't suit us.

"We made some changes to try and get back into the game but unfortunately we just couldn't do it.

"Carlton Cole's a good player who has come on leaps and bounds and his goal was superb. The one touch football they played tore us apart and we couldn't do much about it."

Valencia staying at Wigan

With so much activity in the transfer market, injuries to key players and not to mention an exceedingly difficult fixture list, Steve Bruce will no doubt be happy to get the month of January out of the way.

But speaking after Wigan's game at Aston Villa, he did have some good news with regards the imminent arrival of Charles N'Zogbia and the future of Antonio Valencia:

"The big news I can tell you is that Valencia has turned down the move to Real Madrid last night.

"He's decided to stay until the end of the season which is great news for us. There was no fee agreed but the boy said that he wants to stay on at least until the end of the season and see how things develop in that time.

"January has been a really difficult month. The loss of Emile and Palacios, and the injuries to Valencia and Zaki mean we were nearly down to half a team and the last thing you wan to do in January is rebuild a squad.

"But were pleased in who we've brought in and we also hope to seal the N'Zogbia deal soon.

"He has just the profile we want at the club. He's only 22 and we hope he can come and enjoy his football with us.

"We've agreed a few with Newcastle and part of that deal is that Ryan Taylor will go the other way.

"There's still a few details to sort out first but we spoke to him last night and he seemed very pleased with what we've offered to him. If we get him and then get Valencia back then it will look good for us.

"We've also brought in Ben Watson and Hugo Rodallega who are young and gifted too, so were happy with what we've done."

Henri Camara moves to Stoke City on loan

The club have confirmed that Senegal striker Henri Camara has joined Stoke City on loan until the end of the season.

Steve Bruce explained his decision to sanction the move.

"I like Henri as a player," he said, "he's looked great whenever he has played this season, getting a couple of really crucial goals for us.

"However, I can understand that he wants to put himself in the shop window and play and I could not give him that promise here. Out of respect to him and to what he has done for the club in the past, I have not stood in his way now."

Henri Camara v Spurs FA Cup 3rd Round 2/1/09
Earning His Spurs: Camara netted 20 Premier League Goals for Wigan Athletic.

Camara has scored a record 20 Premier League goals for Latics, but has not been a regular in the team since 2006-07. His current contract ends this Summer.

He said: "I love it here and the fans have always been behind me, which is something I have always really appreciated.

"I hope they understand I need to play. I had a wasted year at west Ham, and I have spent most of this season on the bench. I understand and respect Steve Bruce totally. He is the manager and he has done brilliantly with the team, which is his team now.

"But when I was given this chance I felt I had to take it for the sake of my career.

"I want to say a really big thank you to the Wigan fans, who have been magnificent to me. I will never forget that and the club will always stay in my heart. What we achieved in that first season was special and I am so happy that the club has continued to progress."

Camara will not be eligible to play against Latics when the clubs meet at the Britannia Stadium on May 16.

Camara has scored 20 goals in 46 league starts for Latics, having appeared in 69 matches in all. In all competitions he has scored 24 in 77 appearances, 56 of which he started.