Revenge Mission

Whelan :: Draw is "Brilliant"

The Wigan chairman labelled the third round draw as "brilliant" and views it as a chance for Latics to get their revenge on City for their play-off exit in 1999.

At the moment, the clash is scheduled for bonfire night, although it could be moved for live television coverage (this date has since been confirmed).

Whelan told the Evening Post: "It is a brilliant draw for us. City will bring a lot of fans with them, while I think Wiganers are now turning up to get behind the team.

"We should be talking in terms of a 20,000 crowd and it would be brilliant to see the ground full because you get such a good atmosphere.

"The last time we played City was in the play-offs and we got some very dogy decisions at Maine Road that night.

"We had a tough time there but I thought we were the better team in both games.

"However City are a Premiership team now, and it will be great to welcmome them back here.

"Kevin Keegan sends his side out to play good football, they spread it wide, and it should be a great game.

"If we put in the performance we did against West Brom the other night, you can't write us off."

Latics' record attendance at the JJB is currently the 15,593 who watched the league game against Preston in April 2000.

Ticket details for the City game should be announced by the club this week.

The cup draw was made on Saturday afternoon shortly before Latics' 2-2 draw with Cardiff City.

Robert Earnshaw gave the visitors the lead, but Tony Dinning and Nathan Ellington put Latics back in the driving seat.

They held the advantage until the 86th minute when Earnshaw scored the equaliser from close range.

Ellington :: Attracting attention

Everton manager David Moyes was in attendance for the second game running, and Whelan believes his is keeping tabs on Ellington.

"We had David Moyes here again and I would imagine he is looking at the Buke," said the chairman.

"but we will hang on to him as long as we can, and he won't be going anywhere this season becaus we want to go up. The lad has got great potential and is a real handful to play against."

Latics boss Paul Jewell was disappointed to have picked up just one point against Cardiff, but pleased with teh display from his players.

Jewell said: "We workied hard, played some good football, and in the second half it was all with us.

"Cardiff had two chances in the whole of the second half and scored with one of them.

"When you are top, you have to make the most of situations which come your way.

"On three or four occasions, we had the extra man but didn't make the most of it.

"We either made an extra pass or took the wrong decision, and we ended up paying the price.

"But I can't be too critical because the lads did everything I asked of them except score a third goal."

Courtesyof Dave Seddon from the Wigan Evening Post.