As for West Brom, they came looking for a draw. Artem Sakiri, the skinny Macedonian was brought in to play at inside forward, just in front of the midfield three, with Gary Megson dropping striker Lee Hughes to the bench.
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Three quick minutes later and Liddell was felled on the right hand corner of the area. Peter Kennedy stepped up to take. He fired a quick, dipping cross into the back post where captain Matt Jackson headed wide from six yards. This was a real chance to take the lead early on, and Jackson was very unlucky.
Shortly after and Lee McCulloch won the ball in the air from Gaardsoe and flicked his header into the West Brom area. Geoff Hosfield had gambled well and arrived in the area on cue, only to see his sliding effort well saving by Russell Hoult.
On the half hour mark, Liddell broke down the right and put in a superb cross which both Bullard and Ellington tried to convert as they slide in, but neither could quite get a nick onto the ball.
Five minutes from half time and it was Dinning who help preserve the 0-0 scoreline as he headed Baggies' captain Sean Gregan's shot off the line. Minutes later he missed tha chance of the game himself as he fired over from all of ten yards after good work from Andy Liddell out wide.
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Half Time
At half time Megson brought of Sakiri and brought on Hughes. He had reverted to their normal formation with two strikers. This proved a good move as the Baggies started the second half the better of the two sides, despit this they failed to produce a good chance.
£700,000 striker Hulse headed into the side netting after good work by koumas, but this was the closest West Brom were going to get.
Fifteen minutes into the second half and fat-man Gregan was starting to become large headed. Ellington dispossed the larger than life man and fed Andy Liddell who shot over the bar from 18 yards out.
Sixty minutes in and the ever lazy Hulse was replaced by the over-grown Dichio as the large man up front for West Brom.
Just a few minutes after and Nathan Ellington shot an angled drive inches past Hoult's left hand post from all of 25 yards out. Just seconds before his shot the pesimistic old gentleman behind me, was yelling for the Duke not to shoot because he 'won't score from there'. Ok, he was right, but Nathan nearly put egg on this elderly gentleman's face with a superb shot.
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Fifteen minutes from the end of play and the Duke left the field to be replaced by Gary Teale. Liddell was pushed up front as the Scots-man took up his usual position on the right.
Lee McCulloch then had a rasping drive saved by Hoult from 25 yards. Bullard chased in on the rebound, but he was offside so it didn't matter.
Daniel Dichio then had a superb chance as the ball fell nicely for him jsut 8 yards out, slighty to the right. He was foiled though as a full length Ian Breckin tackle forced the ball out for a corner.
Jackson then performed similar heroics as he denied Lee Hughes a blatent scoring chance just minutes later. It was our night tonight.
With five left on the clock, Roberts took to the field to replace Horsfield. It had been an impressive home debut by the Horse, no doubt he will go on to become a firm fans favourite.
The ball spent most of the last five minutes in the bottom left hand corner, until the final whistle blew, sending the Latics fans into dreamland.
Wigan Athletic (4-4-2): Filan, Eaden, Kennedy, Jackson, Breckin, Liddell, McCulloch, Dinning, Bullard, Ellington (Teale 75), Horsfield (Roberts 85).
Unused subs: Walsh, Mitchell, Burchill.
West Brom (3-5-1-1): Hoult, Volmer (Johnson 63) , Gaardsoe, Sigurdsson, Haas, Koumas, O'Connor, Gregan, Sakiri (Hughes h-t), Hoult (Dichio 59).
Unused subs: Murphy, N'Dour
Referee
Michael Jones (Chester)
Manager Comments
Paul Jewell - "In the first half we played some great football, played a high tempo and created quite a few chances. In the second half we dug in. We knew they would come at us. There was a lot of pressure and we defended exceptionally well.
