Queens Park Rangers 1 Wigan Athletic 0 - Saturday 13th November 2004

Missed opportunities cost Wigan

Report by John Patrick Heeley

Let's not get carried away here. Two defeats on the back of a 17 game unbeaten run is not the end of the world - far from it in fact.

However, Latics will be ruing a number of missed chances in a first half they almost dominated against fellow promotion rivals Queens Park Rangers.

Jason Roberts found himself with a couple of golden opportunities to increase his tally for the season and on another day he probably would have buried them but on a cold afternoon in West London his shooting boots just weren't working.

However Ellington was the first to fail to hit the target after Roberts had put him through on goal but the best he could do was to side-foot his effort straight at Rangers keeper Chris Day who had no trouble at all in gathering.

QPR's first chance of note arrived with 25 minutes on the clock when former Reading striker Jamie Cureton's cross found Paul Furlong but the ex-Chelsea man knocked his header wide of the near post.

Ellington provided Roberts with an excellent chance just after the half hour mark. The Duke coming from nowhere to beat defender Danny Shittu to the ball by the corner flag.

He then took the ball along the touchline before pulling the ball back for Roberts who looked nailed on to open the scoring.

Not to be however, with his first time snapshot flying inches wide of the far post from six yards out.

Nicky Eaden was gifted a golden opportunity to open his Wigan Athletic account 8 minutes later after excellent work from Alan Mahon and Jason Roberts, the pair linking up to put the former Barnsley player through on goal but the 31-year-old, playing in an unorthodox right midfield position due to injuries, sliced his low shot wide of the upright with Matthew Rose racing in to cover.

Bullard was then denied by Day as he tried to round him, the Rangers keeper diving at the Wigan midfielder's feet to collect.

Paul Jewell was forced into a change during the break with Leighton Baines complaining of feeling unwell following a clash with Gareth Ainsworth earlier in the opening half - the England U21 left back replaced by Steve McMillan for the restart.

The second half found a more organised home side but Latics still had their chances to edge themselves in front but were again found wanting with Roberts firing wide after Mahon had put him in on goal and then Mahon himself went close with a free kick which Day did well to save.

Latics were made to regret their missed chances in the 86th minute and Jimmy Bullard will have been kicking himself with his poor pass intercepted by substitute Kevin McLeod who raced down the left flank with Bullard in pursuit but the Wigan number 21 was left helpless when the former Everton trainee whipped the ball over to PAUL FURLONG who charged in behind the defence to power his header past Filan sending the home fans delirious.