Report by John Patrick Heeley

Wigan Athletic slumped to their third league defeat of the season and Simon Haworth was red carded at the New Den as they were swept aside by a rampant Millwall.

A hat-trick from veteran striker Paul Moody settled the game before Wigan grabbed a consolation through substitute Neil Roberts.

Millwall moved 4 points clear at the top of Division Two thanks to a convincing and well deserved victory over Wigan Athletic at the New Den.

The home side dominated the game for the majority of the 90 minutes and always looked dangerous on the attack.

However it was the sending off of Wigan's leading goalscorer Simon Haworth just after the half hour mark that could have helped in their downfall.

Although already two goals down by that point the dismissal removed any real hope Wigan had of clawing their way back into the game.

Millwall showed Wigan what to expect in the very first minute when Lucas Neill hit a thunderous shot forcing a good save from Wigan keeper Derek Stillie.

Stillie was again called upon in the 10th minute saving one handed to deny Neil Harris but there was nothing he could do to prevent Millwall from taking the lead 3 minutes later.

Lucas Neill pushed the ball forward to fellow Australian Tim Cahill who played the ball to Neill Harris on the right flank.

Harris crossed to the near post but a mix up between Stillie and defender de Zeeuw gave the ball to Millwall striker PAUL MOODY and the 33-year-old made no mistake in putting the ball in the back of the net with his header.

Millwall were all over Wigan and any attack Latics did create seemed to fizzle out in midfield as the home side constantly hit the Wigan defence with everything they had.

Millwall doubled their lead on 26 minutes with young midfielder Paul Ifill starting the move.

The 21-year-old moved down the left wing before supplying leading scorer Neill Harris who raced down the line before pushing the ball across into the middle of the area and PAUL MOODY slid in to knock the ball past a diving Stillie.

An avalanche was on the cards and Wigan weren't helped any when Leicester referee Paul Danson issued his 6th red card of the season to Simon Haworth for allegedly stamping on Millwall's Tim Cahill following a tussle down the right wing.

Simon Haworth can now look forward to a three match ban as a result of his sending off but the Welsh striker intends to appeal against the decision and will use Cahill himself as a witness.

However if the appeal was unsuccessful Wigan wouldbe missing their leading marksman at a crucial part of the season.

Latics nearly grabbed one back on 40 minutes following a Darren Sheridan cross into the box which Wigan's Dutch defender Arjan de Zeeuw flicked on and Millwall goalscorer Paul Moody went close to scoring into his own net when the ball deflected off his knee to loop just over the crossbar.

HALF TIME: Millwall 2 Wigan 0

Bruce Rioch's half time 'chat' with the players seemed to have done the trick as they came out for the second half with a more determined attitude.

PAUL MOODY completed his hat-trick just after the hour mark, Paul Ifill's short corner to David Livermore was crossed into the middle of the area where it was met by the bald head of Joe Dolan giving the ball to Moody who crashed it into the back of the net from close range.

The game had been over as a contest long before Moody's third and the goal simply rubbed salt in the wound but Wigan stepped up a gear and grabbed a consolation goal with 11 minutes remaining.

Andy Liddell and Arjan de Zeeuw had both hit the woodwork before substitute NEIL ROBERTS hammered in his 6th goal of the season.

FULL TIME: Millwall 3 Wigan 1