Report by John Patrick Heeley

As the season draws to a dramatic finale Latics seem to be doing their upmost to cause their fans to have nervous breakdowns.

In fact, in the last ten minutes of so of the game Wigan were almost suicidal and it was Reading, with nothing to play for but their pride, who played like the team playing for an automatic promotion spot.

But, at the end of the day it's three points that matter, especially at this late stage in the campaign, and not how they obtained them.

Latics' fate is in their own hands and another three wins will see them playing at the higher level of Division One next season for the first time in their history. It's that near!!

Reading have had a mixed kind of season and are currently lying in a respectable mid-table position and have had a good run in form of late.

The signing, from under the noses of Preston, of striker Martin Butler for £750,000 from Cambridge United and the sheer class of his team mate Darren Caskey has seen Reading climb steadily up the table to safety having once looked likely to be fighting off relegation at this point in the season.

Considering all this Reading on paper would be no pushovers in a game that Wigan had to win if they were to sustain that challenge for promotion.

The Latics faithful were optimistic of all three points with the inclusion of Andy Liddell into the starting line up as it has been apparent to most that the recent run in poor form has coincided with the midfielder's absence through injury and plainly obvious just how much he has been missed.

Wigan had the better of the first half but few chances were created by either side.

The major talking point of the game came ten minutes from the interval when a long ball from former Charlton Athletic midfielder Kevin Nicholls found Andy Liddell who raced clear only to be brought down by Reading's Adrian Williams.

Referee David Laws had no hesitation in pointing to the spot much to the furious protests of the Reading players who claimed that the offence had taken place outside the area.

Video replays would prove them right but unlike Rugby League the referee didn't have the luxury of today's modern technologies and it was left to Neil Redfearn to again fire in the from the penalty spot, which he did with power and deadly accuracy.

Half Time: Wigan 1 Reading 0

Reading came out after the break determined to get something out of the game and had a number of opportunities to upset the majority of the JJB crowd in a second half that had Latics fans cringing at every Reading move forward.

Wigan so desperately needed to grab a second goal and finish the game off but it was the Berkshire boys who looked more likely to put the ball in the back of the net and in fact they did when Martin Butler appeared to get his head to a short cross from the left of the area sticking the ball home unmarked.

The referee's assistant kept his flag down, obviously happy with the goal, but the Whitley Bay referee immediately disallowed it ruling that Butler had illegally used his hand, something that Butler even admitted to when questioned by the official.

It's nice to see honest players and we should have a few more like Mr. Butler, eh Mr. Goater?

Reading continued pushing forward, throwing everything they had at Latics but a very respectable performance from stand in keeper Derek Stillie together with a dependable as ever back line dealt superbly with everything heading their way.

In midfield Kevin Nicholls showed a number of nice touches but in my opinion is not fully match fit yet and maybe next season will tell if he is actually worth the money that Wigan have already and have yet to pay for the former England U18 skipper.

Frenchman Jeff Peron was, to the approval of the crowd, awarded Man of the Match after an outstanding performance but it would be nice to see him having a crack at goal once in a while instead of doing all the hard work and laying it off to give someone else the chance of glory.

The last few minutes proved to be nailbiting and Reading nearly levelled it at the death with Martin Butler managing to connect with the post in stoppage time.

It was a great relief when Mr. Laws blew for time and another three points winged Wigan's way and a step closer to Division One.

Full Time: Wigan 1 Reading 0