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Wigan 1 Everton 1
Wigan Athletic's Maynor Figueroa (left) and Everton's Nikica Jelavic battle for the ball
WIGAN benefited from one of the more bizarre goals the Barclays Premier League will see this season but had to settle for a point against Everton at the DW Stadium.
It had been a thoroughly forgettable affair until the 76th minute when Phil Neville blocked a Jean Beausejour cross and the ball somehow found its way past Tim Howard for a hugely embarrassing own goal.
But the hosts’ lead lasted only seven minutes, substitute Victor Anichebe heading in the equaliser to ensure Everton followed up their win over Manchester City on Tuesday with a point on the road.
Toffees boss David Moyes fielded one of his deadline-day signings, Steven Pienaar, who rejoined the club on loan from Tottenham on Tuesday, but striker Nikica Jelavic had to settle for a place on the bench.
Denis Stracqualursi was the man keeping Jelavic out of the team after impressing against City and he had the first decent sight of goal in the 13th minute, but the ball got stuck under his feet and he could only poke it tamely at Ali Al Habsi.
Pienaar was making his first start in the Barclays Premier League this season but was quickly up to speed and causing trouble for the Latics, who were just about holding firm.
Scoring goals has been a major problem for Wigan and Franco Di Santo could not make the most of a golden chance in the 20th minute. A long ball from Maynor Figueroa caught out the Everton defence but the striker placed his shot too close to Tim Howard.
It was a very scrappy game and Jordi Gomez could only curl a free-kick well over from 25 yards after Johnny Heitinga had hauled down Di Santo, while at the other end Wigan just about managed to scramble a Landon Donovan corner clear.
The Latics were failing to capitalise on good positions, with Victor Moses the latest culprit as his control let him down at the crucial moment as he lined up a shot.
Darron Gibson was the Everton hero on Tuesday but he spurned a good chance five minutes before the break, sending his shot way over the bar after Leighton Baines had done well to get to the goalline and pull the ball back.
Everton made a change at half-time, Neville replacing Tim Cahill, but it did little to improve the quality, with both goalkeepers virtual spectators.
Gibson did manage a half-decent effort but it was easily saved by Al Habsi, and on the hour mark Moyes sent on Jelavic for Stracqualursi. The Croatian was prolific at Rangers and his arrival was greeted with a huge roar from the vocal Everton fans.
Roberto Martinez had also seen enough and in the 65th minute the Wigan manager made a double change, Rodallega replacing Gomez and David Jones coming on for Ronnie Stam, while moments later Di Santo hobbled off and Albert Crusat entered the fray.
The hosts wanted a penalty when Jones’ shot deflected behind off Pienaar’s arm, but referee Anthony Taylor waved their claims away.
Wigan have been short on luck this season but they certainly got a huge slice of it in the 76th minute as Everton gifted them the softest of goals.
There seemed little danger when Neville got a foot to Beausejour’s cross and the ball headed straight for Howard but the keeper let it bounce and the spin on the ball took it past him and into the net, to the disbelief of players and fans alike.
Anichebe came on for Tony Hibbert in the 81st minute in Moyes’ final throw of the dice, and within two minutes he had levelled matters, leaping above the Wigan defence to guide in a header from Baines’ cross after the hosts had not dealt well with a corner.
Wigan pushed for a winner and almost found it from a late corner but they could not force the ball in as it pinged around the Everton box.
The point did at least end a run of five successive defeats for the Latics, who remain five points adrift of safety.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 30 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
jerseyman
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:56 AMcome on folks before the Everton game we needed 8 wins and a draw from our last 15 matches to get 40 points now we only need the 8 wins from 14 matches . We must get behind our manager although he does live on planet cuckoo land and take the positives out of every defeat and we have had many of those this season.
elven
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 09:40 AMSorry wisechoice, but if you are SO good at sports nutrition and rehabilitation, why do you spend all your time cab-driving or self-promoting on here?..... Care in the community with jones66 !!
benjiboy
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 09:08 PMi see jones66 the plonker is back again criticising latics or warriors obviously not a fan of either or wouldnt need a sat nav to find the stadium he ii the biggest kn-b head that comes on this site.he must be some kind of alien pi-- pot.
jones66
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 08:51 PMi'll have a pint of that what your drinking wisechoice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wisechoice
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 08:32 PMPost 22 jones 66 read on, post 20 rickytarr when i read your article, first impression âwhich is usually correctâ was the old adage, CHILDREN SHOULD BE SEEN, BUT NOT HEARD. As for drugs how about the following http:www.nutritionreview.orglibraryr.lipoic.acid.php just one of the drugs in a Certified Sports Nutrition Advisorâs, Arsenal, lol As for drinking âyehâ have some of this http:www.vespapower.comNatural-Advantage_ep_29.html As for keeping me away from keyboards i am all for that given i like the saxophone. So if you want my advice rickytarr âwhatever the hell thatâs supposed to meanâ go away and stop spoiling the good honest posts on here. I like the way i got the word Arsenal in there, coincidentally, i have a football programme to get players from poorly to fit âquicker than Arsène Wengerâ, thanks to a level 3 power program trainer who took kids from nothing to a cup final, only loosing âin her opinionâ through nerves.
mona
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 01:54 PMAt last a crumb of comfort. If only everybody mentioned would oblige, I may even have the sucky blanket.
Joey Joe-Joe Junior Shabadoo
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 12:56 PMSame old cr*p dished up at the DW and yet Bobby Bullsh*t as per usual can still put a positive spin on it. I think enough has been said about the likes of Gomez etc. Have to agree with the points about playing people out of position and persisting with a formation and style of play that clearly confuses the players and doesn't work. The school-boy errors continue as I counted at least 3 foul throws on Saturday - that's unacceptable for players on tens of thousands of pounds a week. If other clubs can be as generous as Everton and gift us a goal each game that would help but we'll probably still concede more. I however am going to remain positive and predict that Caldwell will become reliable, Diame will come back to boster the midfield, Martinez will switch to 4-4-2 and Hugo will bow out with a glut of goals that help keep us in the league. Okay, maybe I'll need some of Wisechoice's hallucinogenics to make that a reality!
philaway
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 12:26 PMThe draw was a total fluke, agree with pessimist Tizwas25. The only man to blame is DW. Surprised that jones66 has time to comment, he is back to spending much time trolling on the warriors site.
jones66
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 12:23 PMpost 16 ...wot the fcuk is all that about ??????????????
thepieshavegone
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 10:54 AMWAFC off to Oman next week. Hope the warm weather recharges their batteries and they come back ready for the challenges ahead! Safe journey.
rickytarr
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 10:12 AMPost 10, wisechoise, you shouldn't be driving a taxi with whatever drugs or drink you've been taking on board.Your not even fit to be in charge of a keyboard.
thepieshavegone
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 09:45 AMPost 16. What?
warriork
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 09:53 PMOnly 15 more games to go, then you can give Liverpool,Man Utd, Everton & man City back all the fans you've borrowed whilst in the premiership.
Jack's dad
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 08:36 PMFluke goal courtesy of our opponents. Beyond that we could have played all day and not scored or even got more than a couple of shots on target. Noblot - an almost equally dire side - must be rubbing their hands in anticipation of next week. Let's have a competition now to write about the 'positives'.
wisechoice
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 08:27 PMPost 10 mona, i was talking to Everton fans before the match driving Taxi and they requested a corner, i.e. 9000 spaces instead of the mix and match they had? Further Everton fans have not been happy with David Moyes negative attitude to matches, one striker up front; let’s not forget Everton FC recently signed new players including striker. As for the Wigan fans i was talking to one after the Everton match, yet again in Taxi, he said, at half time he felt like crying and leaving, not because of the football “because he was being pelted by ice from the sky”. So yes Wigan fans need sucky blankets to keep them warm on cold match days Mr Whelan as a thank you for supporting Wigan Athletic. As for offering crumb of comfort i stumbled upon Mr Whelan before Christmas in the grounds of his new fish and chip shop venture at the side of the DW stadium, I gave Mr Whelan my business card then i referred to my qualifications Power Program linked with Certified Sports Nutrition Advisor to this Mr Whelan began reading my business card he mentioned friendly reliable Taxi service, which is also on my business card “i laughed, he laughed” we both then left. Some could argue friendly takeover lol. As for my qualifications also on the business card http:www.coryholly.comcolgan.cfm the previous website is only crumb of comfort i can give the Wigan Athletic fans. Mr Whelan as my telephone number, “also on the business card, as well as e-mail” which means Mr Whelan can find out my twitter account through my e-mail demonstrating my qualifications “ruthlessly at times”. But it’s a fact if You read Mr Whelan’s autobiography “which he signed, it was in my Taxi” Mr Whelan is happy if Wigan Athletic finish bottom of the premier pile every year even if it means goal difference. Coincidentally, when Mr Whelan looked at the book i was about to get him to sign, “No cover” he looked at me ominously, but when i calmly flicked through to the page that i wanted Mr Whelan to sign he smiled. I asked Mr Whelan to sign on the page that said playing to win?
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