Report by John Patrick Heeley

Wigan extended their unbeaten run to 11 games and ended a run of 6 consecutive draws with an Andy Liddell hat trick setting up a memorable victory over 4th place Brighton & Hove Albion who, before their visit to the JJB Stadium, had only lost twice in the league all season, the last of those back in October before the appointment of Peter Taylor.

Wigan manager Paul Jewell made only one change to the side that drew at Ashton Gate the previous weekend with Jason De Vos coming off the bench to start alongside Arjan De Zeeuw in the heart of defence, leaving Scott Green to take his place amongst the substitutes. Striker Lee McCulloch continued up front with Andy Liddell meaning no place again in the starting line up for Simon Haworth.

The visitors started the game well and put Wigan under pressure from the off, winning two corners inside the first five minutes.

The two Brighton goalscorers from the win at the Withdean Stadium, Lee Steele and Bobby Zamora, both had attempts on goal but couldn't find a way past the solid Wigan defence.

Wigan then stepped up a gear and could have broke the deadlock after five minutes when Gary Teale raced down the left wing before sending an immaculate cross into the area finding the head of Andy Liddell but his effort took the slightest of deflections and sailed narrowily wide of the post.

Wigan didn't have to wait long to take the lead and after 8 minutes Lee McCulloch sent the ball through to ANDY LIDDELL on the edge of the penalty area who turned on his marker before firing in a low shot past Brighton's on loan keeper Simon Royce.

Brighton's best opportunity of the first half came just after the quarter of an hour mark when Lee Steele beat of two challenges before sending a through ball to strike partner Bobby Zamora.

The prolific goalscorer charged forward on goal but was stopped in his tracks by a well timed tackle from Peter Kennedy inside the area.

The game was stopped as Matt Jackson was clearly in a lot of distress midway into the Wigan half after appearing to slip whilst trying to stop the Brighton attack.

The defender required a stretcher to remove him from the field and Paul Jewell now has a problem in defence with the inevitable sidelining of the former Everton and Norwich City star paired with the departure of Jason De Vos to take part in the CONCACAF Gold Cup with Canada in America.

A couple of minutes later Wigan doubled their lead from the penalty spot after Lee McCulloch was brought down in the Brighton penalty area by a clumsy challenge from Danny Cullip after the Wigan striker had been put through on goal with a well weight pass from Tony Dinning.

ANDY LIDDELL snatched the ball and sent Royce the wrong way from 12 yards for his second goal of the afternoon and his eighth of the current season.

Liddell turned provider soon after when he beat his marker allowing him to race down the left blank before sending in an excellent ball into the box for Lee McCulloch but the Wigan number 11 found Royce in superb form with another fine save.

Brighton were award a free kick in a dangerous position on the half hour mark when Jason De Vos chopped down Gary Hart right on the edge of the area inside the 'D' a challenge for which the Canadian was booked, the first of five yellow cards in a 9 minute spell.

The resultant free kick came to nothing as Richard Carpenter blasted it straight at the Wigan wall.

Simon Royce, on loan from Leicester City as cover for the injured Michel Kuipers, produced a fine display and was responsible for keeping the score down before half time as Wigan went in search of a third.

Gary Teale had a chance to open his account for Wigan when Andy Liddell found him in the area with another great ball from the wing but the 23 year old couldn't quite find a way past the Brighton defence with his shot.

The former Ayr United winger caused the Brighton defence no end of problems with his pacy runs down the right and on two occassions sent the ball across the face of goal begging for someone to get a touch to it.

Brighton went close to pulling themselves back into the game when Daniel Webb, who had only just come on the pitch as a replacement for Kerry Mayo, fired in a shot from the corner of the area but saw his effort rise over the corner of the bar after 75 minutes.

ANDY LIDDELL completed his first ever hat trick in a Wigan shirt and only the second scored at the JJB Stadium after 80 minutes when McCulloch sent him clear on the left hand corner of the area after the former Motherwell striker had won the ball just inside the Brighton half. Liddell kept his composure to send a low shot under the body of Royce and in the far side of the net.

Latics could have had even more in the final few minutes but for the heroics of the Brighton keeper who fulled off a superb double save to deny Liddell adding to his tally from close range and then thwarted substitute Neil Roberts before Liddell was again prevented from adding to his hat-trick with another close range save.