Wigan Athletic 2 Crewe Alexandra 0 - Saturday 2nd November 2002

Wigan stretch unbeaten run

Report by John Patrick Heeley

Wigan stretched their unbeaten record to 14 games, 11 of those in the league, with a 2-0 win over promotion rivals Crewe Alexandra at a rain soaked JJB Stadium.

The goals were surrounded in controversy with the first coming from the penalty spot after Richard Walker had been adjudged to have used his elbow as he and Tony Dinning tussled for the ball in the area but it was what followed next that had Crewe feeling wronged as the Crewe defender was shown a straight red.

Andy Liddell, who again started the game on the right wing, duely stepped up to fire home the spot kick and claim his 9th league goal of the season.

Wigan's second came in first half stoppage time with Steve Forster knocking the ball into the back of his own net after Jason Jarrett had brought down a Nathan Ellington right wing cross.

There were a few appeals claiming that the Wigan midfielder had controlled the ball with his arm but Walsall referee Mark Cooper was having none of it and in allowing the goal simply added to the grief he had been receiving from the travelling Crewe contingent nestled in the East Stand.

Paul Jewell made one change from the side that drew with QPR earlier in the week with Peter Kennedy starting his first game since the end of August in place of Lee McCulloch, who had failed a fitness test prior to the game, with Mike Flynn taking Kennedy's place on the bench.

Conditions at the ground were always going to make the game difficult with torrid rain lashing down for the duration meaning that tackles were sometimes on the clumsy side and controlling the ball was a feat in itself but the two sides got on with it and it was the home side who enjoyed a lion's share of the chances on goal.

Wigan saw their first opportunity on goal go narrowily over the bar from an Ellington header from a Liddell cross in the 7th minute but they edged their nose in front shortly afterwards from the much debated penalty.

Tony Dinning charged into the area with Richard Walker alongside but as the Wigan midfielder attempted to go around him the Crewe defender swung his arm back with the elbow coming into contact with Dinning who fell to the ground.

Referee Mark Cooper immediately pointed to the spot with Walker earning himself an early bath. Reports after the game indicated that the dismissal hadn't been for the foul but in fact for foul and abusive language but that remains to be seen.

ANDY LIDDELL stepped up to take the resulting spot kick and dummied his run to send keeper Clayton Ince the wrong way.

Wigan dug in and had a number of chances to double the deficit and Dinning almost achieved that with a shot from distance that went only a matter of inches over the bar.

Ellington went extremely close just after the quarter of an hour mark when he received the ball on the right side of the area from Nicky Eaden but The Duke's effort came back off the post, bounced off a defender and landed, fortunately for the visitors, in the hands of the Trinidad and Tobago keeper who had been stranded helpless on the floor.

Ellington saw another effort skim just wide of the upright from just outside the area before he wasted a golden opportunity to add to his season's tally when he capitalised on a mistake by the visitors just inside their own half allowing the Wigan striker a free run on goal but with only the keeper to beat he drilled his shot straight at him.

Latics' second goal came moments after the fourth official had signalled three minutes of first half stoppage time. Jason Jarrett controlled the ball with his chest on the edge of the Crewe area and STEVE FOSTER jumped in to clear the danger but instead saw the ball bounce goalwards and over the line.

The second half wasn't quite as action packed but did see it's fair share of chances and again the majority fell Wigan's way but no further change in the scoreline.

Ellington, however, was guiltier than most for seeing decent goalscoring chances go begging.

With less than 20 minutes of the game remaining Wigan were again denied by the woodwork with Peter Kennedy cracking a volley against the post after Roberts had nodded on a De Vos free kick.

Substitute Dean Ashton, on for Nigerian World Cup star Efe Sodge, almost grabbed a consolation goal in the final few minutes thanks to a rare mistake from Wigan keeper John Filan who rushed from his line to clear but didn't quite do the job properly, allowing the young striker a second bite of the cherry but saw his effort cleared from the line by Jason De Vos.

The league campaign can now be put on hold for a few days with Premiership side Manchester City visiting Wigan for the first time since the 1998/1999 play-offs with a place in the Worthington Cup Fourth Round at stake at the JJB Stadium.