There were less than four minutes on the clock when Chelsea netted their winner, another early goal conceded by Latics after two in the first 10 minutes at West Ham the week before.

Lee Cattermole was penalised for controlling the ball with his forearm 25 yards out from goal, referee Alan Wiley awarding a free-kick.

Portugal international Deco and Ashley Cole lined-up over the ball, and it was Deco who curled a delightful right-foot shot over the wall and into the far top corner.

Mike Pollitt's first job of the day, after being named in the side as a late replacement for the injured Chris Kirkland, was to pick the ball out of the back of the net.

Latics didn't let their heads drop after the early setback, and for a good chunk of the first half, played more attacking football than their illustrious visitors.

Wilson Palacios tried his luck with a shot from a tight angle which Petr Cech pushed around the near post.

Then Cech had to race off his line to save Amr Zaki's shot after the Egyptian was played into space in the box by Palacios.

The hard working Zaki was denied a second time by Cech, the Chelsea keeper parrying his left-foot shot after a great three-man move set him up.

At the other end, Ricardo Carvalho headed a Frank Lampard corner over the bar, while Nicolas Anelka was off target with a header from Ashley Cole's inswinging free-kick.

The tempo went out of the game in the second half, chances at a premium at both ends with defences on top.

Michael Essien drew a comfortable diving save from Pollitt in the 67th minute, while a powerful Palacios strike was on target until John Terry blocked with it with his knee.

Latics went closest to an equaliser in the 88th minute, substitute Olivier Kapo's low drive from 25 yards was pushed around the post at full stretch by Cech.

That led to some late pressure from Steve Bruce's men, but they couldn't find a way through the Chelsea defence.

Among the crowd was England coach Fabio Capello, watching his second Latics game of the season, and Sunderland boss Roy Keane – on a scouting mission ahead of the Black Cats' visit to Wigan next month.

Latics lost the services of keeper Kirkland before kick-off, the England international jarring his back in the warm-up.

Pollitt replacing him was one of three changes to the side beaten at West Ham, Titus Bramble and Jason Koumas coming in for Paul Scharner and Olivier Kapo.

Koumas limped off at half-time, replaced by Daniel de Ridder, with Antonio Valencia switching to the left-wing.



Latics: Pollitt, Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Cattermole, Palacios, Koumas, Zaki, Heskey. Subs: Nash, Brown, de Ridder, Kapo, Kilbane, Camara, Sibierski.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Deco, J Cole, Anelka. Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Bridge, Alex, Belletti, Malouda, Kalou.

Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)

For a full match report, reaction and pictures, pick up a copy of the Wigan Evening Post on Monday and Tuesday's Wigan Observer.