WIGAN'S revival under Steve Bruce has so far been a stop-start affair but suddenly they must see a chink of light in their escape tunnel from the relegation places. After deservedly beating West Ham yesterday, Sunderland and Derby County now stand between them and breathing space in their next two pivotal fixtures.
With Sunderland equally desperate for points, and perhaps fancying the law of averages after having lost twice to Wigan already in league and cup this season, and the visit of Derby bringing a reunion with former manager Paul Jewell, Bruce will be mindful of the potential pitfalls that still lie ahead.
But the manner of victory over a West Ham side that had lost just one of their previous seven league games will give the Wigan manager great hope of avoiding a repeat of last season's final day dicing with the drop, even if a failure to add to Kevin Kilbane's headed goal from a handful of late chances will have done nothing for the blood pressure.
The Hammers were never given an inch to play in the face of a committed Wigan team, epitomised by Paul Scharner in the centre of defence and Wilson Palacios in front of him, who made sure that Chris Kirkland never got the chance to prove the wisdom of his selection in Fabio Capello's England squad in preference to Robert Green.
"We have got two games now which will be great occasions," Bruce said. According to Bruce, the fixture list helped himm as West Ham looked incapable of lifting themselves three days after beating Liverpool.
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"After our big result in midweek we are massively disappointed. It didn't happen for us when we came here with big hopes," admitted West Ham boss Alan Curbishley. The two managers were also in agreement about the state of the pitch, which threatens to be a major factor now that the rugby league season is also starting. Not helped by heavy rain throughout January, the surface cut up like a ploughed field and did nothing to aid the quality of the game. Bruce described it as a "tip" while Curbishley, excusing the sound of sour grapes, added: "It's massively difficult to play on. You end up knocking it long and hoping for a scrap or a set-piece."
And so it proved as Wigan won the game thanks to a cleverly worked free kick in first-half stoppage time. Kilbane's late run into the penalty area was well detected by Ryan Taylor, if not West Ham's defence, and the full-back looped a header over Green.
With something to hold on to, Wigan were even more tenacious, although Emile Heskey's withdrawal after almost an hour ended his contribution and cost him his place in Fabio Capello's England squad. Bruce said: "It's a continuation of a big fella being out for three or four months. He's getting little niggles, pulls and strains. He will be pulling out."
Heskey has not scored since breaking a metatarsal in September, but his replacement Marcus Bent should have late on, while Antonio Valencia was denied by both posts as his long-range shot bounced across the line. However, with Craig Bellamy not able to end a three-month absence by converting a rare West Ham chance, no harm was done.
Player ratings. Wigan: Kirkland 6, Melchiot 7, Boyce 7, Scharner 8, Kilbane 7, Valencia 7, Palacios 7, Brown 6, Taylor 7 (Koumas 84min), Heskey 6 (Bent 57min, 7), King 6 (Sibierski 90min)
West Ham: Green 6, Neill 6, Ferdinand 6, Upson 6, McCartney 6, Ljungberg 5, Noble 6, Mullins 6, Etherington 5 (Solano 48min, 5), Ashton 5, Cole 5 (Bellamy 68min).
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Match stats
Wigan Athletic: Shots on target (incl goals) 4, Shots off target 8, Blocked shots 3, Corners won 6, Total fouls conceded 13, Offsides 5, Yellow cards 1, Red cards 0, Possession 46%
West Ham: Shots on target (incl goals) 1, Shots off target 4, Blocked shots 2, Corners won 3, Total fouls conceded 15, Offsides 4, Yellow cards 3, Red cards 0, Possession 54%
Star man: Paul Scharner (Wigan)
Scorer: Wigan: Kilbane 45
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Yellow cards: Wigan: Taylor
West Ham: Upson, Bowyer, Neill
Referee: M Atkinson
Attendance: 20,525