Report by John Patrick Heeley

Andy Liddell's 14th league goal of the season ensured that Wigan gained sweet revenge for previous season's defeats against Oldham and denting the Boundary Park side's play-off hopes came as an added bonus.

The 'other' Latics boasted three players who had previously worn a Wigan shirt in their starting line up.

Oldham defender Stuart Balmer and midfielder Darren Sheridan were both shown the door by Wigan last summer and Michael Clegg played six games for Wigan at the tail end of the 99/00 season whilst on loan from Manchester United.

Wigan were without defender Matt Jackson and winger Gary Teale who both picked up knocks during the midweek win over Cambridge United.

Ged Brannan continued to miss out and Paul Mitchell stepped in again to take his place in the centre of midfield whilst Peter Kennedy returned from a two match suspension.

The conditions at the JJB Stadium weren't the most ideal for a game of football with a bitterly cold wind swirling around the ground but once both sides had got a grip on the proceedings we saw quite an entertaining afternoon's football.

After 18 minutes a Scott Green cross was flicked on by the head of Andy Liddell, setting up Lee McCulloch for a shot on goal but his effort from 15 yards out sailed wide of the mark.

In the 24th minute Peter Kennedy blasted the ball over the bar and into the North Stand when a cross from Stephen McMillan was only half cleared by Oldham and two minutes later Kennedy sent over a corner which again was only half cleared, this time as far as Paul Mitchell who sent his effort the same way as Kennedy's previous attempt.

Tony Dinning earned Wigan another corner just after the half hour mark when his shot on goal took a deflection and from the corner sent over by Kennedy skipper Arjan De Zeeuw headed narrowily wide.

Minutes later Paul Mitchell earned himself a yellow card for his reaction to a foul on him by Matt Appleby in which the young Wigan star had a large hole torn into the back of his shorts courtesy of the Oldham midfielder's studs.

Mitchell was obviously incensed by the challenge and foolishly squared up to his rival earning himself a caution along with Appleby.

Wigan pushed forward from the resulting free kick and were denied what looked to be an obvious penalty as Lee McCulloch was dropped in the area by his former team mate Stuart Balmer.

To the home support's disbelief the Chester referee was having none of it and play continued.

In the dying seconds of the first half Peter Kennedy sent a well struck free kick narrowily wide as the first period ended goalless.

Minutes after the restart veteran midfielder David Eyres tested John Filan after the 38 year old was sent through on goal but the Australian keeper was up to the task, diving to his left to collect.

Oldham continued on the offensive and Filan was called into action again when he threw himself in front of a close range shot from Canadian Carlo Corazzin and then fellow countryman Jason De Vos cleared off the line as Darren Sheridan tried to drive home the loose ball.

With around 10 minutes of the second half gone Andy Liddell caused David Beharall into clearing over his own bar when Tuesday night's hat trick hero sent a teasing cross into the area.

Just before the hour mark Julien Baudet went close to breaking the deadlock with a header when he dove in to connect with a David Eyres corner but it was Wigan who got the decisive goal minutes later.

John Filan launched a long ball upfield from a free kick which Tony Dinning flicked on finding ANDY LIDDELL who got the better of defender David Beharall before sending a low drive past Gary Kelly in the Oldham goal for his fourth goal in two games.

Jason De Vos looked to have doubled Wigan's lead when he nodded down a Peter Kennedy corner kick but Kelly got down well to snatch the ball on the line.

Wigan held on during a frantic final few minutes where Oldham threw everything at them but the visitors couldn't find a way past their opponent's rearguard apart from a couple of wayward shots.

The win ended a 5 match unbeaten run for Oldham and stretched Wigan's to 7 and moved them above Port Vale into 12th place in the table.