Football Live

Saturday February 23, 2008 Finished JJB Stadium

Wigan Athletic 2 - Logo 0

Wigan Athletic

  • Scharner 61’
  • Valencia 85’

Derby County

  1. Wigan take vital points off Derby

    Wigan take vital points off Derby

    Paul Jewell's return to the JJB Stadium ended in defeat as goals from Paul Scharner and Antonio Valencia earned Wigan a priceless 2-0 victory. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Wigan Athletic
    • Derby County
    • - Thanks for joining me this afternoon; make sure you stick around for all the match reports and reaction from today's Premier League action.
    • 92 FULL-TIME: Paul Jewell's return to JJB Stadium ends in a sadly predictable defeat as Wigan move four points clear of the relegation zone with a well deserved victory.
    • 90 Carroll hopelessly miskicks an attempted clearance, sprinting to the ball out on the touchline...realising he is out of position, he uproots the corner flag and drops it on the pitch as he tries to sprint back to goal...an interesting tactic...
    • 89 Fagan is booked for handing off Melchiot on the edge of the box.
    • 88 Still Wigan press...it has been a good performance from them this afternoon...and a priceless three points.
    • 86 Late change for Wigan as Antoine Sibierski, who fired home a late winner against Derby in the reverse fixture in January, comes on to replace King.
    • 85 GOAL! FINE STRIKE! VALENCIA! The little midfielder brilliantly controls a cross at the back post, before cutting inside his marker and lashing a shot high into the roof of the net.
    • 83 Another corner for Wigan, this time bravely cleared by a diving header from Stubbs...he and Moore have been superb today.
    • 81 More persistant play down the left from Kilbane wins his side a 12th corner of the match...he curls it towards the back post...but Melchiot heads wide from six-yards out.
    • 78 King is flagged for a foul as he and Stubbs contested a bouncing ball on the touchline...a shame for the Wigan man, as he was just about to cut inside and bare down unchallenged on Carroll.
    • 77 FINE CHALLENGE! Heskey looks to be in after getting on the end of a high, long ball from the left flank...he is just about to pull the trigger, but Stubbs gets back to put the ball out for a corner. Superb defending from the veteran.
    • 75 Scharner goes down in the box as he tries to get on the end of Kilbane's inswinging cross from the right...he claims a penalty against Fagan...nothing doing from the referee.
    • 73 No signs of any movement on the Wigan bench at the moment...Koumas would be an ideal player to come on and take advantage of the increasing spaces in the Derby defence...
    • 71 This would be a massive win for Wigan, and a vital one too, with Birmingham picking up a point earlier on with a draw against table-topping Arsenal...
    • 68 SAVE! Villa's overhead effort is nicely struck...but it is from too far out to cause Kirkland a problem, and the Wigan keeper saves comfortably.
    • 66 Edman goes down holding his groin in attempting to clear the ball, under pressure from Villa. He seems okay.
    • 64 GOOD PLAY! Valencia shows good pace to get down the right and beat his man...he cuts the ball back to the near post...where Moore prods just past his own post for yet another corner.
    • 62 Wigan certainly deserve to be leading; they have had the better of the match; can Derby respond, or is this going to be yet another defeat on the road to the lowest-ever points total in the Premier League?
    • 61 GOAL! SCHARNER! Another corner causes panic...King attempts a scissor-kick which Carroll saves...the ball breaks to Scharner, who prods home unmarked!
    • 61 Kilbane wins his side another corner, their eighth of the match, when his cross is deflected behind by Moore...it comes to nothing, too deep.
    • 60 Pearson is replaced by Argentinian striker Villa; a more attacking option from Jewell.
    • 58 No bookings yet in this match...it has been a hard, fair match.
    • 57 RUBBISH! Valencia has the chance to run at the full-back...but his touch is dreadful and the ball runs out of play. He looks at the pitch scornfully.
    • 55 Valencia breaks down the right after a good interception from Melchiot...he drives a low cross into the middle, but Todd comes across from the back to clear.
    • 54 Stubbs' backpass towards Carroll is almost cut out by King, who had read the pass...fortunately for Derby, the keeper gets there first and hoofs clear.
    • 53 After a bright start, this match is a bit in the doledrums at the moment...we could "do with a goal..."
    • 51 Bolton boss Gary Megson is spotted in the crowd...Wigan meet their northwest neighbours in two matches' time.
    • 50 Kilbane and Moore get up hobbling after a committed, fair challenge on the half-way line...both need treatment from their physios...
    • 49 Wigan have claims for a penalty when King's acrobatic volley is blocked by Moore's arm just inside the box...but the referee, probably correctly, rules that the Derby man didn't know anything about it.
    • 47 Andy Todd has come on to replace Leacock, who has obviously not recovered from that abdominal injury.
    • 46 The second half is underway...
    • 45 HALF-TIME: Wigan have had the better of the half...and might be unlucky not to be leading, with Barnes clearing Melchiot's backheel from perhaps behind the goalline.
    • 45 CLEARANCE! King has two swipes at a high cross from the left...the first a shot on goal, blocked, the ball comes back to him...he chips a nice cross into the middle, but Stubbs puts it over the crossbar for a corner.
    • 44 More treatment for Leacock, who seems to be really struggling with some sort of abdominal injury or a side strain of some description.
    • 43 SHOULD HAVE SCORED! Heskey has a golden chance to put Wigan in front when Leacock misses Kilbane's low cross at the near post...Heskey only has to hammer the ball home from five yards - but his side-foot effort is straight at Carroll.
    • 41 Heskey is frustrated as another free-kick decision goes against him as he tries to contest a high ball tossed forward.
    • 40 OFFSIDE! King is just caught offside as he tries to get on the end of Heskey's flick through the middle...tight one, but the linesman probably just got that right.
    • 38 Savage throws himself at a block as he got in the way of Heskey's effort on the left-edge of the area.
    • 37 Dean Leacock is really struggling...looks as though he is going to have to come off. He suffered the injury in a clash with his own player, Savage.
    • 36 Palacios is forced to change shirt after picking up a facial cut in a challenge in midfield...meanwhile, Dean Leacock is down needing treatment.
    • 34 Wigan win three corners in succession...Kilbane's delivery is good, but the Derby defence holds firm.
    • 32 ALMOST AN OWN GOAL! A fine break from Wigan, led by a strong run from Melchiot through the middle...he flicks the ball out to Valencia, but his low cross is put behind by Leacock - just...
    • 30 GREAT COUNTER! Miller's superb touch on the half-way line sets Pearson free through the middle...he takes it down the right channel before trying to feed it across the face of goal to where Miller had made a lung-bursting run...only for the ball to run out of play.
    • 28 Heskey and King are a powerful front pairing for Wigan...if not the most skillfull - they are certainly putting themselves about this afternoon.
    • 26 Wigan are doing all of the pressing now...there weren't too many complaints about that goal not being given, it has to be said, although replays do show that the ball might just have crossed the line.
    • 24 OFF THE LINE! Sensational effort from Melchiot, as he controls the ball on the edge of the six-yard box as King nods the ball back to him at the corner...with his back to goal, he backheels past Carroll...Barnes sticks his boot out to clear...although replays show the ball had perhaps - just - crossed the line!
    • 23 Heskey wins his side a corner as he tries to break down the left...Boyce goes forward from the back as Kilbane swings it deep...
    • 21 Darren Moore trots forward as Derby win a free-kick...the ball is half-cleared to Barnes on the edge of the box, but his effort is blocked.
    • 19 Wigan look much the more dangerous side when they have the ball...Derby are lining up with just Miller up front, and are struggling to retain the ball.
    • 17 Heskey goes down very easily in a challenge with Moore...it looks innoculous, but he wins his side a free-kick...hit straight into the wall by Kilbane.
    • 15 CHANCE! Best chance of the match so far as Kilbane ghosts in unmarked to meet Palacios's cross from the right...only to plant his stooping effort straight at Carroll.
    • 14 IMPORTANT BLOCK! Valencia does well to get around the back of his man down the right...he cuts the ball back, but Stubbs intercepts at the near post.
    • 13 Stubbs suffers an injury in attempting to clear on the edge of his area, colliding with the in-coming Scharner...he's been in the wars already, although this knock to his ankle looks a little more serious than the whack in the mouth he took.
    • 11 OVER! Kilbane cuts in from the right and unleashes a left-foot shot from 25 yards...well over the crossbar. Poor effort...the veteran looks suspiciously at the pitch, which might be a little harsh.
    • 10 GOOD BLOCK! Nice play from Wigan, who work the ball from the middle out wide to Valencia...he shoots across goal from a tight angle, but Stubbs throws himself at a block.
    • 8 Wigan win a free-kick, 30 yards from goal...not a good effort from Michael Brown.
    • 8 TAME! Barnes holds the ball up well on the edge of the area before laying it into the path of Pearson...who shoots tamely at Kirkland
    • 6 DELIGHTFUL! Palcios collects the ball 30 yards from goal...he notices King is in an offside position so delays his pass, drags the ball back and eventually flicks it through with a neat back-heel...but King doesn't read it.
    • 5 Of course, Derby manager Paul Jewell is on his first return to Wigan since quitting at the end of last season after saving the club from relegation. He got a good reception from the crowd, it has to be said.
    • 3 Stubbs takes a whack in the mouth from King as the two compete for a throw-in...he's made of stern stuff, though, the big Scouser. He's fine.
    • 2 The pitch at the JJB Stadium looks a bit ropey this afternoon...
    • 1 OFF WE GO!
    • - Welcome to uk.eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE text coverage of this afternoon's Premier League encounter between Wigan and Derby from the JJB Stadium.
    • - Wigan manager Steve Bruce hands Erik Edman his debut. Defender Edman, signed just over a month ago for £500,000 from Rennes, replaced Ryan Taylor who was sidelined with a rib injury.

  • Summary

    • 85 GOAL! FINE STRIKE! VALENCIA! The little midfielder brilliantly controls a cross at the back post, before cutting inside his marker and lashing a shot high into the roof of the net.
    • 81 More persistant play down the left from Kilbane wins his side a 12th corner of the match...he curls it towards the back post...but Melchiot heads wide from six-yards out.
    • 61 GOAL! SCHARNER! Another corner causes panic...King attempts a scissor-kick which Carroll saves...the ball breaks to Scharner, who prods home unmarked!
    • 49 Wigan have claims for a penalty when King's acrobatic volley is blocked by Moore's arm just inside the box...but the referee, probably correctly, rules that the Derby man didn't know anything about it.
    • 43 SHOULD HAVE SCORED! Heskey has a golden chance to put Wigan in front when Leacock misses Kilbane's low cross at the near post...Heskey only has to hammer the ball home from five yards - but his side-foot effort is straight at Carroll.
    • 32 ALMOST AN OWN GOAL! A fine break from Wigan, led by a strong run from Melchiot through the middle...he flicks the ball out to Valencia, but his low cross is put behind by Leacock - just...
    • 24 OFF THE LINE! Sensational effort from Melchiot, as he controls the ball on the edge of the six-yard box as King nods the ball back to him at the corner...with his back to goal, he backheels past Carroll...Barnes sticks his boot out to clear...although replays show the ball had perhaps - just - crossed the line!
    • 15 CHANCE! Best chance of the match so far as Kilbane ghosts in unmarked to meet Palacios's cross from the right...only to plant his stooping effort straight at Carroll.
    • 8 TAME! Barnes holds the ball up well on the edge of the area before laying it into the path of Pearson...who shoots tamely at Kirkland
    • - Welcome to uk.eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE text coverage of this afternoon's Premier League encounter between Wigan and Derby from the JJB Stadium.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Wigan Athletic

    Manager: Steve Bruce

    On the Field

    • Kirkland
    • Melchiot
    • Boyce
    • Scharner Goal
    • Edman
    • Valencia Goal
    • Palacios
    • Brown
    • Kilbane
    • Heskey
    • King

    Subs

    • Sibierski
    • Bramble
    • Bent
    • Koumas
    • Pollitt

    Injured

    • Taylor

    Suspended

    None

  • Derby County

    Manager: Paul Jewell

    On the Field

    • Carroll
    • Leacock Substitution Out (45′)
    • Stubbs
    • Moore
    • McEveley
    • Fagan Yellow Card
    • Savage
    • Pearson Substitution Out (58′)
    • Barnes
    • Ghaly Substitution Out (62′)
    • Miller

    Subs

    • Todd Substitution In (45′)
    • Sterjovski Substitution In (62′)
    • Lewis
    • Price
    • Villa Substitution In (58′)

    Injured

    • Davis
    • Mears

    Suspended

    None