Report by John Patrick Heeley

What a difference a fortnight's rest makes! Wigan, with a number of key players returning from injury and with new boy Tony Dinning bossing the middle of the park, were refreshed and much more organised than their previous encounters this season.

To say Dinning made a good impression would be a big understatement, the former Wolves midfielder (well he will be on Monday) covered every inch of an unusually decent pitch at Gigg Lane and played more than a major part in Wigan's opening goal.

The fact that he only joined the club at around 4pm yesterday has got to leave even the most sceptical Wigan fan in mouthwatering anticipation of what's to come.

One piece of news that filtered through to the Wigan fans before the game though was that, despite reports straight from the horse's mouth in Sheffield, Rob Kozluk would not be included in the squad as he hadn't even signed yet.

Cheers for that Mr. Warnock. However, he is expected to sign on Monday - probably.

Returning to the fray from injury were Steve McMillan, Scott Green and Lee McCulloch with the latter starting from the bench. McMillan showed the Wigan fans exactly what they had been missing during his long lay off with a thigh injury, his long runs out of defence caught the home side out on more than one occasion.

On the downside however, the former Motherwell defender was brought off in the 8nd minute, replaced by McCulloch, and seemed to be hobbling slightly but hopefully it was just a tactical substitution with Wigan manager Paul Jewell also deciding to give him a rest from his first game since the end of April.

Scott Green was reasonably quiet but his long throws into the box caused Bury a few frights and McCulloch had little more than ten minutes to shine.

Let's get back onto the subject of Tony Dinning, who will become Wigan's record signing on Monday.

His passing and running off the ball was superb to say the least and you can understand why Wolves manager Dave Jones was reluctant to let him go and to be totally honest I have no idea why he did but their loss is Wigan's gain.

Wigan had slightly the better of the early exchanges with Paul Dalglish and Peter Kennedy working tirelessly down either flank trying to get a ball over to either Simon Haworth or Lee Ashcroft in the centre of the attack.

It took until the 26th minute though for Wigan's persistance to pay off when a Peter Kennedy corner was glanced across goal at the near post by Tony Dinning and unfortunately for Bury their own striker CHRIS BILLY stuck out a leg for the ball to take a wicked deflection into the back of the net.

Wigan then stepped up a gear as the home side chased the game and could have doubled the deficit minutes later when Lee Ashcroft fired a shot over the bar.

Bury's claim for a penalty fell on death ears after Jon Newby was grounded by Tony Dinning as he lined up a shot midway through the half.

Wigan took to the field unchanged for the second half and within minutes doubled their lead and cancelled their negative goal difference in the bargain.

Another Peter Kennedy corner was whipped across the face of goal from the right and appeared to be heading straight in at the far post when SIMON HAWORTH got the faintest of nods to help it on it's way.

Minutes later Paul Dalglish, who received his second red card in three days at Gigg Lane last season, went on a terrific run down the right before lobbing the ball into the area finding Lee Ashcroft with his back to goal at the near corner of the area.

Wigan's number 10 then made an ambitious overhead kick which fooled everyone and crashed off the bar leaving Kenny on the floor.

Simon Haworth then raced in to nod home but somehow the former Bradford Park Avenue keeper managed to clutch onto the ball on the line to deny the Welshman his second despite the protests of the 1,500 or so Wigan fans behind the goal who were adamant it had crossed it.

Tempers started to fray five minutes later and three Wigan players had their names entered in Roy Pearson's notebook and at one stage he had to separate Lee Ashcroft and Bury keeper Paddy Kelly in the penalty area as they awaited a corner to be taken shortly after Ashcroft had upset the young shot stopper following a challenge on him.

Bury's Matt Murphy went very close to pulling one back when his shot on the turn was superbly put around the post by Stewart Kerr, the only real save he'd had to do all game but a crucial save all the same as a goal for the home side at that point in the game could have changed the entire complexion of the match.

Wigan hung on though to take all three points and even with six minutes of time added on the home side still couldn't break down their opponent's resolve.

Paul Jewell must now be a much relieved man after his side well deserved their first victory of the season, a victory that sees them leap from the foot of the table to 17th.

Panic's over lads.