Match Report: Wigan Athletic 0-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Don Cowie dropped to the bench as Emmerson Boyce made a return to the starting line up with Wigan move to three centre back and two wing backs. That would really allow us to have an open flowing attack going forward and be the reason we dominated large portions of the game. Wolverhampton Wanderers were very happy to sit deep and with the pace and power they have going forwards try and hit us on the break.

That plan didn't work for them as the only goal of the  game came from a set piece, one which we should have never conceded in the first place and our goalkeeper (Scot Carson) should really have done better with.

The game though started very open and buoyed by our win last week, and the fact that Rotherham United had been dragged back down into the fight well and truly. The belief was that maybe we could get something from this game. The problem for us though would continue to be our lack of ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

James McClean a good striker he does not make The Republic of Ireland winger is so wasted playing through the middle when his pace and power should be playing out wide on the left handside whipping the crosses in for the striker. Instead we loose that attacking intent and killer instinct in the box. A couple of times when he should have driven at goal James either cut back in or passed the ball off, a lack of confidence clearly an issue.

We still came close several times in the first half, Jermaine Pennant seeing his whipped effort tipped over the bar by Tomasz Kuzack as the keeper kept Wolves in the game. Although shots on target were hard to come by for Wigan, it was more good build up play. That was summed up in Kim Bo Kyung's high flying effort after the midfielder had walked into the box.

Wolves though weren't so wasteful. First off a tackle which should have been routine was completely missed by Emmerson Boyce. Free-kick Wolves to the Wigan right of the penalty box. The ins swinning free-kick yet again saw Scot Carson all of a flutter as he watched it fly past him for Benik Afobe to head home.

That would be how it would stay at the half time interval with Wigan losing their way once the goal went in. Emerson Boyce though did come close to atoning for his error. A sweet struck curling effort inches wide of the post.

Second half and we tried to storm the Wolves goal but we couldn't get back level. We did have the ball in the back of the net following some good play in and around the box. Tim Chow firing the ball back into the danger area for James Perch to hit it home. The linesman flag was up to the disappointment to the home support.

That really was the closest we came in the second half, and the closets Wolves did, they had an effort also chalked off but it was pulled back for a foul.

Wigan though finished the game with 10 men James McClean sent off for two yellow cards. The first for a bit of handbags with the Wolves team following a foul, the second was for charging down the ball for the Wolves player to beat him too it. Unfortunately the clocking up of fouls caught James out, otherwise doubt it would have been another booking.

We are technically not down yet. But Rotherham and Millwall have to lose their remaining games, and we have to pull off a miracle and beat Brentford next weekend. Stranger things have happened for Wigan Athletic!