Report by Dave Seddon - Wigan Evening Post

IT was birthday time for the Latics but the occasion looked like passing without any celebrations until deep into injury.

Almost 21 years to the day of their very first league match, the three points looked a lost cause.

But ref Bill Burns' addition of a generous helping of overtime set the scene for a frantic finish...and a fairytale ending.

The neutrals - and City boss Tony Pulis - could argue that it was tough on Bristol.

But who cares... after last week's nightmare at Millwall, this was just what the doctor ordered.

Still nursing a casualty list he could do well without, John Benson stuck with his three man strike force.

It paid off yet again with Andy Liddell, Stuart Barlow and Simon Haworth all playing leading roles.

Welshman Haworth - keen to add to his five international caps at senior level - proved to be the matchwinner.

It was three minutes into injury time when he registered his fourth goal of the season.

But it down to Andy Porter.  How his absolute thunderbolt was headed off the line by Jim Brennan without inflicting brain damage we'll never know.

Liddell was first to react but that one came back off the bar.  City then scrambled it off the line again - but lethal weapon Haworth had his right foot primed.

The volley was quite simply unstoppable and the points were in the bag.

"Luckily I just caught it cleanly," said the lanky striker with massive understatement while Benson confessed " I didn't think it was ever going to go in."

With another healthy crowd inside the JJB stadium - bigger incidentally than the attendance at the previous night's Wigan Warriors Super League game - Latics got the start they wanted.

They enjoyed a slice of luck when Scott Murray made a complete miss of a glorious chance blazing over from eight yards.

He was promptly given a lesson in finishing by STUART BARLOW.

The City defence was caught napping by Liddell's quick free kick, touched on by Haworth and Barlow's dipping shot to the far corner was perfectly measured with keeper Steve Philips unable to get his left hand to it.

Latics had other chances including a cheeky chip from Darren Sheridan but were guilty of surrendering possession too easily with City having the extra man in midfield.

Bristol boss Pulis changed tactics after the break using his two full backs to provide more width to their attack.

Twinkle-toed Greg Goodridge, who gave Mark Bowen a torrid opening half, should have levelled it when Roy Carroll got into a tangle with Ade Akinbiyi.

That one ended up in row 12.

Nigerian international Akinbiyi, valued at around £3.5 million, also had a chance but Scott Green arrived from nowhere to deny him his moment of glory.

Pulis then played his trump card chucking on Tony Thorpe for the ineffective Steve Torpey.

He had been on for just 15 minutes when Brian Tinnion threaded the ball into the area, and Thorpe was sent crashing by Carroll as he raced onto it.

Ref Burns got it right and immediately pointed to the spot.

THORPE opted for the John Aldridge approach - stopping on the run up - and when Carroll went right, he slotted the ball into the left corner.

Carroll's protests made no impression on the ref.

In the first minute of added time, Porter could have settled it but somehow failed to dig out the shot with the ball at his feet.

But Latics refused to accept it was all over - and Haworth's late, late strike provided the perfect finish.

City boss Pulis insisted " We created the better clear cut chances but needed someone to put the ball in the back of the net.

"Wigan are a good side - the three up front will always score goals - but we came to have-a-go."

Benson admitted "To be fair we had a little bit of misfortune that we didn't have last week at Millwall.

"Without being critical I wasn't happy with the performance - but I'm happy with the result.

"Full marks to the boys - they kept going."