Rampant Wigan Athletic reinforced their claim to be considered as serious promotion contenders with an emphatic victory over struggling Derby County at the JJB Stadium.
After last week's impressive victory at Ipswich, Wigan returned to their home territory to pick up what is amazingly their first home win of the year and cement their place in the race for the Premiership.
A goal in each half from striker Nathan Ellington and substitute Lee McCulloch gave Wigan victory over a defensively minded Rams outfit that had 'struggling' written all over it.
Ellington struck a minute before the break when he headed home a perfect cross from home debutant Alan Mahon, while McCulloch clinched an impressive victory after 78 minutes when he hooked the ball into the roof of the net from close range after Ellington headed on Nicky Eaden's cross.
Derby showed little as an attacking force, although Wigan can count themselves lucky not to have gone behind early in the first half when in a rare break, John Filan pulled off a superb save from Noel Whelan.
The Wigan keeper had little to do but he denied Ian Taylor after the break as County chased the game in search of an equaliser.
But at the other end, Derby keeper Lee Grant made fine saves to deny Ellington, Neil Roberts and Jimmy Bullard, while efforts from Mahon and winger Gary Teale, who was being watched by Berti Vogts after his call up to the Scotland squad, flashed inches wide.
Editor's View
A fairly good game. The pitch seemed to be a slight improvement on a fortnight ago, but was still not upto standard.
Thankfully Derby came to the JJb wanting all three points, they did not sit back and defend and forced Filan into some fine saves throughout the course of the game.
This made for an interesting encounter with plenty of chances for both sides. Berti Vogts was in the crowd and he saw Teale put in a good performance down the right hand side, and managed to see substitute McCulloch grab a goal before the death.
The Duke also took his goal very well, but did little else throughout the game, I felt that Roberts was unlucky to be substituted.
All in all though it was a comfortable performance from the Latics who never really reached top gear. A good result that keeps us in a very nice position in the league.
Ratings
Filan 8
Eaden 8
Baines 8
De Vos 8
Breckin 6
Teale 7
Mahon 7
Jarrett 8
Bullard 8
Ellington 6
Roberts 8
Subs:
McCulloch 7
Liddell 6
Flynn 6
League Table
| Last game played on Saturday 14th February 2004 | Pld | Home | Away | Overall | Pts | GD | |||||||||||||||||
| W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | |||||||||
| 1 | Norwich City | 31 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 15 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 49 | 26 | 62 | +23 | ||||
| 2 | West Bromwich Albion | 31 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 44 | 28 | 57 | +16 | ||||
| 3 | Wigan Athletic | 31 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 44 | 31 | 53 | +13 | ||||
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 31 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 37 | 26 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 58 | 48 | 50 | +10 | ||||
| 5 | Sheffield United | 30 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 45 | 36 | 49 | +9 | ||||
| 6 | West Ham United | 30 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 43 | 30 | 48 | +13 | ||||
| 7 | Sunderland | 29 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 19 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 38 | 26 | 48 | +12 | ||||
| 8 | Crystal Palace | 32 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 22 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 27 | 24 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 51 | 46 | 47 | +5 | ||||
| 9 | Preston North End | 30 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 46 | 37 | 46 | +9 | ||||
| 10 | Reading | 30 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 36 | 40 | 45 | -4 | ||||
| 11 | Millwall | 30 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 34 | 29 | 44 | +5 | ||||
| 12 | Cardiff City | 31 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 27 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 49 | 41 | 43 | +8 | ||||
| 13 | Stoke City | 31 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 24 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 19 | 27 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 43 | 44 | 43 | -1 | ||||
| 14 | Coventry City | 31 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 19 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 38 | 36 | 40 | +2 | ||||
| 15 | Crewe Alexandra | 30 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 26 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 41 | 40 | -2 | ||||
| 16 | Rotherham United | 30 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 36 | 42 | 37 | -6 | ||||
| 17 | Walsall | 31 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 35 | 42 | 37 | -7 | ||||
| 18 | Gillingham | 29 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 20 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 23 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 33 | 43 | 36 | -10 | ||||
| 19 | Burnley | 30 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 39 | 48 | 34 | -9 | ||||
| 20 | Watford | 31 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 34 | 44 | 34 | -10 | ||||
| 21 | Derby County | 31 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 26 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 33 | 51 | 31 | -18 | ||||
| 22 | Nottingham Forest | 30 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 37 | 41 | 30 | -4 | ||||
| 23 | Bradford City | 32 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 26 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 24 | 48 | 23 | -24 | ||||
| 24 | Wimbledon | 30 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 14 | 32 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 28 | 58 | 18 | -30 | ||||
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