Wigan Athletic 3 Brighton & Hove Albion 0 - Saturday 21st August 2004

Three on the bounce as run continues

Report by John Patrick Heeley

Paul Jewell's men notched up their third successive victory with another brace from Nathan Ellington and a first ever Latics goal for summer signing Per Frandsen maintaining their position as league leaders.

The Wigan manager opted for the same starting line up for the fourth game on the trot with just keeper Gary Walsh returning to the squad to replace James Salisbury on the bench.

Brighton, promoted via the play-offs at the end of last season but propping up the table with just one point to show from their opening three games, had the services of Leon Knight to call upon after last season's leading goalscorer completed a three-match suspension but the 21-year-old former Chelsea trainee was pretty much ineffective against a solid Wigan defence.

Half time was rapidly approaching when Wigan hit Albion with the sucker punch.

Jason Roberts received the ball in his own half, turned and then raced down the middle of the field almost unchallenged before slipping the ball to strike partner NATHAN ELLINGTON out on the left of the penalty area.

The Duke turned Adam Virgo and barged his way past him before sliding the ball under Dutch keeper Michel Kuipers in the Brighton goal for this third goal in a week.

The goal came at the perfect time and proved to be the turning point in the game with a much improved Wigan side coming out for the restart and in fact it didn't take long for them to double their lead and it was that man again in a move that he started himself from his own half.

The former Bristol Rovers striker pushed the ball down the left flank, finding Lee McCulloch who in turn found Jason Roberts 20 yards out.

The Grenada international turned his back on goal and returned the ball to NATHAN ELLINGTON who took three strides forward with it and, with the Brighton defence seemingly afraid to go anywhere near him, he unleashed a superb shot into the top, far corner with Kuipers stranded off his line.

Brighton had a rare shot on goal but Albert Jarrett's effort whistled past Filan's right hand post with the Australian hardly troubled as he watched the ball go by the upright.

The game was wrapped up as a contest with 13 minutes left on the clock when Jimmy Bullard slung his corner out to an unmarked PER FRANDSEN 25-yards-out.

The Dane controlled the ball with his chest and then hit a superb low volley which bounced awkwardly over a despairing keeper.

David Graham was introduced to the fray moments later, with Jason Roberts making way for him, and the ex-Torquay forward almost netted his league account for the club with a fierce shot from a McCulloch lay off but Kuipers denied him with a fine save.

Brazilian Emerson Thome was given his debut appearance for the first team when he replaced Ian Brechin in the 83rd minute and, although the former Bolton defender had little to to do, he did enough to show that he will be a great asset to the club as they continue their promotion campaign.