West Ham United 1 Wigan Athletic 1
Titus Bramble - oh come on, stitch together those split sides and carry on - was calm and decisive at the heart of the Wigan defence and produced the moment of the first half when he sidestepped an opponent and delivered an inch-perfect 40-yard diagonal pass to Emile Heskey on the left wing. It was the kind of Hollywood ball that has pundits demanding David Beckham's continued inclusion in Steve McClaren's side.
Of course, the reason Bramble never graduated from the under21 squad is that every such moment has usually been followed by a howler.
"I have great faith in Titus," Chris Hutchings, the Wigan manager, said. "He cost a lot of money as a young man moving up to Newcastle and maybe it was a little bit too much too soon. As you saw, he defended very, very well and made some important tackles. I think he is a class defender. We are going to make sure we work with him and improve him. He wants to improve as well."
The Independent
Curbishley searches for elusive hammers spirit
Wigan's manager, Chris Hutchings - once Curbishley's team-mate at Brighton - is certainly not one of those who has spent more. He can take great heart from his side's start to the season and the way they worked themselves back into this contest after a poor first half-hour. Hutchings has had his own credentials questioned, having spent six years as assistant to Paul Jewell and having suffered a traumatic, and brief, time as manager of Bradford City.
"The spotlight doesn't really bother me," he said. "People in the game know what a good job I did at Bradford and Wigan. I don't think I have anything to prove to anyone."
Wigan certainly deserved a point on Saturday. Despite West Ham's possession the visitors had the best chances, striking the post through Jason Koumas and drawing a fine save from Robert Green before the impressively hard-working Paul Scharner put them ahead with an overhead kick.
The Sun
West Ham 1 Wigan Athletic 1
Jason Koumas hit a post from 20 yards three minutes from half-time, Wigan sensed this new-look Hammers line-up is vulnerable.
And supported by the bullish Andreas Granqvist at the heart of defence, Wigan relaxed while West Ham grew frustrated. No one saw Paul Scharner's superb overhead kick coming on 75 minutes.
Wigan defender Mario Melchiot, 30, back in the Premier League after a spell with French side Rennes, said: "We didn't start well but got back into it.
"At half-time the gaffer told us to keep going and be the way we wanted to be and not the way they wanted us to be.
"A point is always good away. Wigan had a tough last season but we're showing everyone we're a different team."
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