Report by John Patrick Heeley

If Wigan Athletic are going to win promotion to Division One and ultimately win the Second Division title on the way then results like this one are going to mean a great deal.

Second place Crewe were very much a team in form with only one defeat suffered since their 2-0 loss at the JJB Stadium in November and victory over Wigan would have narrowed to gap to a mere 6 points, putting the pressure well and truly on Paul Jewell's side.

Jewell kept faith with the starting eleven that had comfortably overcome the challenge at Wycombe only 3 days previous with Steve McMillan continuing at right back in place of the chickenpox ridden Peter Kennedy.

The makeup of the side however was prematurely altered only 15 seconds into the game after defender Efe Sodje, recalled to the Crewe starting line up in place of the injured David White, clattered Lee McCulloch and took him out of the game.

Blackburn referee Eddie Wolstenholme strangely showed leniancy on the Nigerian international by only awarding him a yellow card, much to the annoyance of the Wigan contingent, such was the nature of the challenge, but the red wasn't long in coming as Sodje received another yellow for a raised arm on Neil Roberts, McCulloch's replacement.

So for the second consecutive game between the two sides Crewe were forced to play three-quarters of the game a man down, making their task that much more difficult.

The game itself was played at a ferocious pace with Wigan enjoying the lion's share of the forward play, limiting Crewe to only a handful of shots on goal while Latics peppered their opponents' goal with numerous efforts.

Crewe's man of the match was later announced as Clayton Ince which came as little surprise after the Trinidad & Tobago keeper had a major role in keeping the scoreline down with a string of decent saves.

The woodwork also played it's part with Tony Dinning and Neil Roberts both managing to crack balls against it with the former Wolves midfielder rattling a header against the crossbar after 24 minutes.

The only goal of the game arrived with 37 minutes on the clock. The impressive Nicky Eaden delivered a right wing ball to the far side of the penalty area to find Jason De Vos who nodded it down for Neil Roberts. The Welsh striker lobbed the ball over Ince to give NATHAN ELLINGTON the simplest of tasks from close range.

The goal, his 19th of the current campaign, sent the Wigan fans amassed down one side of the ground into uproar, sensing victory was just around the corner.

Wigan went agonisingly close to doubling their lead right on the stroke of half time when Roberts headed a cross from Eaden against the upright and Liddell picking up the rebound but after controlling the ball his shot from close range was expertly blocked by the keeper before the defence cleared the danger.

The second half saw Wigan again in charge but little in the way of clear cut chances at either end.

Tony Dinning received his fifth yellow of the season in and earned himself a one match suspension after a bad challenge on former Leigh RMI striker Steve Jones in the 55th minute, who was then stretchered from the field with a suspected broken leg.

One of the strangest sights this supporter has seen in a long time was that of the Crewe keeper racing upfield to challenge for a corner. Nothing special in that you may ask, but what about if there was still 12 minutes left on the clock and two of his defenders stepped back just in case of a counter attack!

The final whistle brought to an end a pulsating game that Wigan fully deserved to win and not wishing to single players out, such was the team effort, Jimmy Bullard had been outstanding and Matt Jackson had been a colossus at the back plus Nicky Eaden seems to get better by the game without earning much praise.

So it's 12 points clear at the top again but with only 13 games remaining that gap is all the more vital as Wigan march hopefully onto Division One for the first time in their history and what a way to celebrate their silver jubilee of league football.