Wigan Athletic 2 Stockport County 1 - Saturday 19th October 2002

Roberts' winner fires Wigan back to the top

Report by John Patrick Heeley

For the second successive week Wigan came from behind to win and in doing so returned to the top of Division Two with other teams around them all dropping points.

The big debate over the week leading upto the game had been should Neil Roberts be allowed to continue in the starting line up alongside Nathan Ellington or should Andy Liddell come straight back in after completing his suspension.

It was to be Roberts and the Welsh striker went on to justify Paul Jewell's faith in him with a superb match winner just after the hour mark. Liddell warmed the bench but did get a run out for the last 15 minutes or so.

Scott Green was again left out after failing a fitness test on a calf strain but skipper Jason De Vos lined up in the centre of defence after he was declared fit after he had pulled out of the Canada squad that faced Scotland earlier in the week with a knee problem.

Stockport arrived at the JJB Stadium for the first ever time having won only 3 games on their travels in the league in the last 18 months and desperately in need of 3 points to get their season back on track after a mixed start to the campaign.

Wigan went straight on the offensive and Ellington saw two chances in the opening 3 minutes go begging.

First of all his surge upfield saw him stand on the ball as he lined up a shot from the edge of the County area, despite the close attention of two defenders.

Moments later Ellington fired in a low shot on goal from the left hand corner of the area which keeper Lee Jones could only parry behind for a corner.

It all looked to be heading Wigan's way even after only a few minutes of the game but the visitors then went straight upfield, catching their hosts on the break with Nicky Eaden losing possession just outside his own area after Jon Daly had nodded forward Jones' long clearance.

LUKE BECKETT took up the ball and the former Chesterfield hitman raced into the area before firing a low ball under a helpless Filan in the Wigan goal.

Gary Teale continued to impress down the right wing and a number of his inswingers caused problems for the County defence with Jarrett and Roberts both going close his centres in the opening 10 minutes.

Wigan were reduced to 10 men in the 18th minute when Jason De Vos and Stockport's Ali Gibb clashed heads by the Latics byeline.

De Vos was led from the field with a nasty looking cut and returned 10 minutes later with his wound stitched and bandaged but Gibb had already left the game on a stretcher and was replaced by Republic of Ireland U21 captain Jim Goodwin.

Wigan best chance of the half so far came in the 21st minute with Ellington showing superb control on the ball to bring the ball down before turning to slot the ball under Jones.

The keeper seemed to get an all important touch to the ball which saw it nudged inches wide of the far post but the referee and his assistant somehow didn't see it that way and, much to the bemusement of the majority of the crowd, a goal kick was awarded.

Dinning cracked a 20 yard volley well over the bar after a Teale corner had been headed out to him by the County defence and Roberts headed wide from another Teale ball into the area just after the half hour mark as Wigan tried to claw their way back into the game.

As the first half drew to a close McCulloch saw an effort fly high and wide before Carlton Palmer was forced to concede a corner, nodding a Teale cross behind as McCulloch was ready to pounce.

Wigan were back on level terms within 5 minutes of the restart with NATHAN ELLINGTON cracking a header off the underside of the bar into the back of the net with Teale again supplying the ball from the right flank.

Latics continued to press forward and were rewarded in the 61st minute when Steve McMillan sent the ball over which was only half cleared and NEIL ROBERTS hit a stunning 15 yard volley home for his first goal since the final game of last season.

Beckett did find the net shortly afterwards but had been caught marginally offside with Stockport's leading marksman claiming not to have heard the referee's whistle.

Andy Liddell was introduced to the game in the 76th minute as a replacement for Gary Teale and slotted in on the right side of midfield but that didn't last long as Nathan Ellington made way for Mike Flynn two minutes later.

Liddell almost added to his tally for the season with a tricky free kick from the edge of the area which forced Jones into a fine save, palming the ball around the post after the kick had beaten the wall.