Perhaps a coupon buster result but many others would not be surprised as this game sees the Latics drop to 19th in the form table. The team will be disappointed that they failed to capitalise on Sunderland and Ipswich defeats respectively.
The Latics started the game brightly and were the better of the two sides in the first half. Going into the half time break Paul Jewell will no doubt have been fairly pleased as he side seemed in control of the game.
Jason Roberts had put the Latics in the lead after 27 minutes. The poignant David Graham set the goal up, his sharp turn and crisp pass fed Roberts as he sped in on goal. Roberts made no mistake as he slid the ball into the Derby goal past Lee Camp.
Nathan Ellington had a similar chance not long later as he was put through, but his shot was saved and Jimmy Bullard put the rebound wide of the glaring goal. To be fair he was off balance.
It was a tale of two strikers for the Latics as Jason Roberts was pulling up trees for the Wigan cause, while strike partner Ellington was suffering from frost bite and seemed unable to move.
The Latics failed to increase their lead and were made to pay in the second half as Derby came out a different side. George Burley must have waved his magic wand and his side took the game to Wigan right from the off.
County equalised when Rasiak poked the ball home from the corner of the area after a fine save from Filan had defied the Polish international forward.
The Latics hit panic mode and gave the ball away far to easily. Instead of keeping possession and working Derby as they had done in the first half. They resorted to the long ball in a desperate attempt to get back in front.
Ultimately Derby won the game, a second goal came from substitute Tommy Smith as he stole a yard on his marker to head in Bisgaard’s cross.
It was not undeserved as Jewell had failed to get his team back in control of the game. Most disappointing for myself however was the inept performance of Nathan Ellington who just did not seem interested in the game, hopefully it is not down to his shoulder. We need a big performance from the Duke against Burnley in two days.