Latics beat the Bees in their own back yard.

Liddell scores our 1,500 league goal

Over the last nine months, Brentford had turned Griffin Park into a venue where visiting teams feared to tread. Escaping from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba was becoming easier than taking three points from this corner of West London, and no team had beaten the Bees here since the first week of April last year.
But Latics succeeded in their quest, patiently waiting until the 79th minute of this untidy game to claim the win. Andy Liddell had the honour of scoring the milestone goal, cleverly lobbing goalkeeper Olafur Gottskalksson. It was fitting too that it came from the boot of the in form striker, having scored goal number 1,447, 1,448 and 1,449 a week earlier in the demolition of Brighton.
Liddell said, “I didn’t know until after the game that it was Wigan’s 1,500th goal in the League, but it was nice to score it. Out of the corner of my eye O saw their keeper off his line and went to lob him. It all happened in a flash but fortunately it went in and won us the game which is the most important thing.”
While the previous win over Brighton had come about through flowing football, this one was all about graft and bottle. Brentford hadn’t achieved such a formidable home record by accident, they achieved it by playing to theri strengths on a tight pitch. With striker Ben Burgess and Lloyd Owusu both standing well over 6ft in their socks, the home side’s main tactic was to play high balls up to them as often as possible.
While the previous win over Brighton had come about through flowing football, this one was all about graft and bottle. Brentford hadn’t achieved such a formidable home record by accident, they achieved it by playing to theri strengths on a tight pitch. With striker Ben Burgess and Lloyd Owusu both standing well over 6ft in their socks, the home side’s main tactic was to play high balls up to them as often as possible.
The win enabled Latics to eat further at the gap separating them and the teams chasing a play off place. While they remain in 13th place, there’s a belief within the club that they can assemble enough points between now and April 20 to challenge for a top six place. But it’s still going to take a huge effort if they are to be involved in the end of season knock out for the fourth season running.
I think it reasonable to assume Reading, Stoke, Bristol City and probably Brighton will be up there at the end. QPR are hitting form too, so does that leave just Brentford’s place in the top six to chase? On the evidence of this encounter, I doubt the Bees will stay in contention, leaving the door open for a side below to come in.

Greeny goes off on one

Latics didn’t have the best of preparation leading up to the game with Paul Jewell forced to make three changes to the side. Jason De Vos, Peter Kennedy and Matt Jackson were all missing from the team which started against Brighton. It meant a return for Par McGibbon in the centre of the defence, a debut for Gary Croft at left back, while Scott Green resumed at right back. Steve McMillan was pushed forward onto the left side of midfield, and looked a class act in that unfamiliar role.
He was the main threat going forward, always offering an outlet down the left flank. The first half was a largely forgettable affair, with the ball spending most of the time being lumped into the air. Good football was at a premium, best summed up when below par Gary Teale managed to kick the corner flag rather than the ball when taking a corner!
Latic’s beast chance of the half fell Liddell’s way in the 34th minute, when he hit a volley just over the angle of the bar and post after a McMillan cross had caused confusion in the home ranks. At the other end John Filan at his near post to block an effort from Owusu.
Things fortunately livened up after the interval, with chances at both ends. Green came to the rescue in the 50th minute, blocking Steve Hunt’s close range header on the line, with Burgess putting the rebound over the top. Latics responded with Liddell curling a shot goalwards which Gottskalksson dived to save, while Tony Dinning saw a close range shot diverted behind by a defender - one of ten corners forced by the visitors.
Liddell and McMillan combined well down the left in the 67th minute to set up Teale, but his flick at the near post was blocked by the keeper. Green was on hand again to clear a goal bound header from Paul Evans out of the six yard box, before Latics claimed their winner with 11 minutes left.
Filan launched a long clearance upfield, Lee McCulloch rose to flick it on but stumbled, and that caused confusion in the home defence. Quick as a flash Liddell was on to it, Lifting the ball over the stranded Gopttskalksson from the left side of the box.
With their unbeaten home record disappearing before them, Brentford pressed for an equaliser late on, Evans crashing a 25 yard shot inches wide. And even Gottskalksson went up for a corner in the fourth minute of injury time, but nothing was going to deny Latics their glory.