Bob starts with loss
Roberto Martinez tasted defeat in his first game in charge of Wigan Athletic as a first-half goal from Joel Grant gave Crewe a 1-0 victory at the Alexandra Stadium.
With the Spaniard electing to field completely different line-ups for both periods, the match was always going to be more of a fitness exercise than a meaningful encounter.
And Wigan were punished for their profligacy in front of goal when Grant broke through the middle and prodded home at the second attempt 11 minutes before the break.
Second-half skipper Mario Melchiot came closest for Wigan - who handed a debut to Spanish playmaker Jordi Gomez - only for his right-footed shot from 12 yards to hit the outside of the post.
Latics, as expected, saw plenty of the ball in the opening stages, and Daniel de Ridder almost created the opening goal only for Olivier Kapo to volley just wide of the post.
The home side's hopes were raised when there was a misunderstanding in the Wigan six-yard box and Chris Kirkland temporarily lost his footing, only for the goalkeeper to grab the loose ball with Calvin Zola lurking.
And Charles N'Zogbia really should have put Wigan ahead on 12 minutes but, with time and space and the defence stretched, he lobbed well over the crossbar.
The visiting supporters then got their first glimpse of their new manager on the touchline, responding with a welcoming chant, but his instructions did not have the desired effect as Crewe rose into the ascendency.
On 19 minutes, they had the ball in the net after a cracking header from Anthony Elding beat Kirkland only to be ruled out for offside.
De Ridder then saw a curling shot well saved by Adam Legzdins, before the home side took the lead with 34 minutes on the clock.
Grant pierced the Wigan defence and, although Kirkland saved his first attempt with his legs, the striker followed in to tap home into an empty net.
Zola nearly made it 2-0 five minutes before the break when his flick header was turned wide by Kirkland at the expense of a corner.
Wigan were claiming a penalty a minute later when Tomasz Cywka looked to have been tripped only for the referee to award the visitors a corner.
Back came Crewe, though, and Grant would have added his second only to be denied by a world-class stop from Kirkland.
After making 11 changes at the break, Wigan took time to get going in the second period and were perhaps fortunate when Zola appeared to be hauled down in the box by Nick Meace only for the referee to wave play on.
Melchiot then almost found a leveller on the hour mark when he found himself through on goal only to strike the outside of the post as he fell to the turf.
The Dutchman was linking up nicely down the right with forgotten man Rachid Bouaouzan, who was looking particularly lively on his return from loan wilderness.
Bouaouzan showed great vision on 70 minutes to find Gomez, who controlled well and flicked goalwards with his left foot on for Legzdins to make a smart save with his right hand.
At the other end, Elding picked up a loose ball in midfield and, from fully 35 yards, lobbed towards the top corner only for the fingertips of Mike Pollitt to divert the ball over.
It was end to end stuff at this stage and Jason Koumas saw a daisy-cutter deflected just wide with the goalkeeper clutching thin air as the League Two side held on.
Latics: Kirkland; Obeng, Scharner, Bramble, Mustoe; N'Zogbia, Watson, Routledge, De Ridder; Kapo, Cywka.
Subs: Pollitt, Melchiot, Boyce, Meace, Edman, Bouaouzan, Brown, Holt, Koumas, Gomez, Kupisz.
Crewe: Legzdins; Brayford, Mitchel-King, O'Donnell, Jones; Donaldson, Ada, Schumacher, Grant; Zola, Elding.
Attendance: 2063 (374 away fans).
See Friday's Wigan Evening Post for match reaction and pictures.
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
