This wasn't just a win, it wasn't even just out second home win. It was a marker. A post to which we will set our standard by for the rest of the season (all seven games). Last week against Liverpool we played well, but we were helped by them playing as badly. This week, we played a strong Stoke side, and controlled the game.
The signs were good straight from the off, when we managed to get the first major break of the game. Within the first five minutes, Wigan attack their favourite end in the first half, and the fans nearly saw a goal after Jean Beausejour was sent down wide on the left, and his ball back was inches from finding one of three Wigan players.
It looked like we might cruise through the game. But Stoke should us they were playing. By showing how they like to play the physical side of the game. Trying to bully Wigan off the pitch, while we played them off it. This lead to Stoke really having the better of the early chances. Ryan Shawcross nearly getting his goal bound header in, but for a great reflex save from Ali Al Habsi.
Wigan would then snap back into life following a Franco Di Santo chance. The Argentinian striker challenging Robert Huth managed to block the German's clearance and bounce on to the ball and bring it forward. The striker did everything right apart put it past the on rushing Asmir Begovic, instead it hit the keeper and went out for the corner.
There would be no stopping Wigan now. The fans were right behind them, as they upped the atmosphere like they have done so many time this season, and the players responded.
Victor Moses wriggling his was down the right and looking to cut back was proving a good option for the Latics. And it wasn't long till left back Marc Wilson had decided to take matters into his own hands. Forgetting himself he rugby tackled Moses to the floor, mirroring the Stoke chants of 'swing low,sweet chariot'. From the resulting free kick Antolin Alcaraz was so close to opening his account for the season.
The next chance would fall to Stoke who had been penned back in their own half would themselves get a freekick. This was whipped in by Dean Whitehead, and fall at the back post for Robert Huth, James McArthur going across to block the ball, appeals for handballs. It would have been a soft one.
Then the best chance of the half came. Again Moses working his magic beating three Stoke defenders would pull the ball across the face of goal, completely fooling Begovic, the ball found Beasejour who from two yards our managed to put the ball both high and wide.
You were wondering what we had to do to score.
Second half and Wigan weren't looking to rush the game. The ball was kept on the deck, and looking to expose the wide positions in Beasuejour and Moses was working well. Shaun Maloney in the middle was having a fantastic game running everywhere to get the ball and looking to lay it off to players around him.
It was Maloney's pass out wide to Beasejour which resulted in the goal. The Chilean's inch perfect cross met the rampant Antolin Alcaraz, who did place a head into the goal but smashed one into the back of the net. The relief of players, staff and fans alike was known as the stadium went into hysteria.
Yet the fans looked on worried, praying we could get that all important second goal, to close the door on Stoke. We would but we would have to wait till the 90th minute.
Instead we were treated to the way that Wigan have played this season. Pure brilliance mixed with an unbelieveable amount of frustration. Not once did we fail to score but four times.
All of the players on the pitch at one time or another could have scored but didn't. First Maloney pushing forward played it wide to Beasejour who instead of shooting first time decided to let the ball roll forward before a poor cross into the box.
Then again the Chilean would miss, as a pinpoint free-kick into the box from Ben Watson picked him out back post, and all the winger could do was half stab it towards goal. Franco Di Santo was unable to get on the end before Begovic collect it in.
To top of all the misses. Jordi Gomez, who came on to play well and looked a lot sharper. After finding space wid eon the right hand side, Watson played the Spaniard in, before he held onto the ball for too long, by which time his shot was blocked.
You couldn't make this up.
Down in our end. Stoke were being to think they could get something from the game, and really were throwing the kitchen sink at our back four. Their best chance came of a Jonathon Walters cross which cleared all of the Wigan team bar James McArthur who cleared it off the line.
A nervy end to the game and with four minutes add time, it was 'squeaky bum time'. Yet that second goal would shortly come. Stoke collecting the ball at the back from a clearance would quite willingly allow Moses to come forward and intercept a pass, before running the forty yards to round the keeper and score his fourth of the season.
That goal gave us the game and meant we met our best result of the season we we won 2-0 against QPR at home in August.
It could have been a day when we were out of the bottom three, had Bolton drawn at Wolves and QPR lost to Arsenal. As it was both teams won and meant we now sit second but level on points with QPR and Blackburn, with seven games to go.
It is now all to play for, in the race for survival!