Report by John Patrick Heeley

Wigan Athletic moved upto third in the Division Two courtesy of another piece of brilliance from Andy Liddell.

Port Vale controlled the midfield for much of the game and had created a number of chances themselves but were sent home back down the M6 after yet another defeat on their travels.

Wigan moved to third in Division Two thanks to another Andy Liddell wonder goal but the performance as a whole was nothing to write home about.

Latics welcomed back strikers Liddell and Haworth back from injury and goes without saying that the pair have been missed up front.

The first attack of the afternoon came from Port Vale on 4 minutes when Roy Carroll was forced to push the ball over the bar from a Dave Brammer 30 yard drive.

10 minutes later Vale's Tony Naylor fired well over the bar from the right side of the area and they threatened the Wigan goal again on 16 minutes when Brammer lobbed in a ball from the left but Arjan De Zeeuw was there in front of goal to nod behind for a corner as Port Vale closed in.

Wigan's first chance of any note came on 20 minutes when Simon Haworth tussled with a Port Vale defender for the ball on the bye-line, inside Vale's penalty area.

The Welshman seemed surprised when he won the ball and his effort from close range was easily blocked by Goodlad in goal from close range.

On 22 minutes Port Vale again saw an effort sail over the bar, this time from Tony Naylor on the right corner of the penalty area.

Then on 24 minutes the action moved back up into the Port Vale half and Wigan's best chance of the half.

Ian Kilford, 12 yards from goal, hit a sweet volley from a Liddell cross and Goodlad blocked but couldn't collect the ball which spilled out to Roberto Martinez whose shot beat the keeper but went wide of the right post.

Pat McGibbon had the clear from 3 yards out following another Port Vale attack on 27 minutes then 2 minutes later the away team went agonisingly close to taking the lead.

Michael Cummins turned with the ball inside the Wigan area and fired past a diving Carroll but saw his shot come off the bottom of the post with Carl Bradshaw waiting to clear the danger.

The next real chance of any note fell to Wigan midfielder Neil Redfearn on 39 minutes who put in a cross cum shot from the left edge of Vale's area but Goodlad got down well to collect.

Then on the stroke of half time Carroll fumbled a low drive on the line from Vale and was lucky that it was a Wigan defender waiting to collect the loose ball.

Half Time: Wigan 0 Port Vale 0

Simom Haworth failed to reappear for the second half after he had limped off at half time and was replaced up front by fellow Welshman Neil Roberts.

The second period continued much in the same way as the first had ended with half chances created at both ends but nothing clear cut.

Just before the hour mark Wigan manager Bruce Rioch threw all his cards into the hat and used his 2 remaining substitutions in a bid to shake his team into action.

Gareth Griffiths left the field to a round of applause from the Port Vale following in the East Stand, appreciation for over 5 years loyal service at Vale Park, and was replaced by little Brian McLaughlin.

Neil Redfearn followed Griffiths off the pitch and on came Scott Green.

On 65 minutes Kevin Sharp got in the way of a fierce shot from Alex Smith on the edge of the area.

Then on 76 minutes, and completely out of the blue, Wigan took the lead with what turned out to be the matchwinner, and what a winner it was!

ANDY LIDDELL collected the ball 20 yards out, turned and fired a bullet into the back of the Port Vale goal leaving Goodlad with no chance at all.

Liddell nearly doubled the lead 3 minutes later when he burst through midfield and tried to lob Goodlad but the keeper managed to get back and catch.

With 5 minutes to go Wigan should have done better when Scott Green stole free down the right wing with Roberts and Liddell charging down the middle of the park with only 2 defenders challenging.

Green squared the ball to Roberts who mistimed his shot completely and Vale cleared.

Then in time added on Green sliced through the Port Vale midfield, slotted the ball through to Liddell who managed to beat the offside trap and set off into the middle of Vale's area.

Goodlad raced off his line and narrowed the angle well, blocking Liddell's shot and put the ball out.

Not really convincing stuff but a much needed 3 points and with results elsewhere going Wigan's way upto third in the league.

Full Time: Wigan 1 Port Vale 0