BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE – THE HAWTHORNS – Saturday May 9th 2009
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Fortune 8, 73
Brunt 59
3-1
WIGAN ATHLETIC
Rodallega 17

Latics opened the game in their usual fast pace and an early warning was given to the Baggies when Rodallega shot just wide after good work by Olivier Kapo in the opening 5 minutes.

Antonio Valencia broke free down the right and cut into the box, but opted to try and pick out Charles N’Zogbia with a cross when shooting looked a better option. Albion took the lead in the eighth minute against the run of play, Brunt pulled the ball back for Gianni Zuiverloon to fire in a shot from the right side of the box.

Chris Kirkland could only parry it up into the air, Fortune following in to head home from close range.
Immediately after conceding the goal, Kirkland hobbled off with a recurrence of his long-term back injury, Kingson replacing him. Latics should have levelled following an amazing scramble in the 10th minute.

Valencia’s corner from the right was met on the volley by Kapo, the goal bound effort blocked by a defender. The rebound fell to Paul Scharner who’s shot was parried by Dean Kiely, the keeper then denying Kapo by the far post.

But Latics only had to wait until the 17th minute to draw level, Rodallega winning a free-kick 25 yards out. The Colombia striker took it himself, his right-foot shot taking a big deflection off the wall and slipping under the wrong-footed Kiely.

Rodallega and his team mates did the ‘rocking the baby’ celebration in honour of Rodallega’s newly-born son, Hugo Jnr. Spurred on by his first goal for the club, Rodallega powered forward in the 27th minute and let fly with a rising shot from 20 yards which whistled just over the bar.

Kingson, who earlier clawed away a shot from Juan Menseguez, did well to block a close range effort from Fortune at the near post as half-time approached. Two minutes into the second half, Valencia did well down the right side of the box and picked out Lee Cattermole with a chipped cross.

The midfielder rose to meet it but could loop a header over the bar and on to the top of the net. Mario Melchiot was denied a first ever Latics goal in the 52nd minute when Valencia wrestled possession off Marek Cech and powered into the box.

He slipped a pass inside to the supporting Melchiot, the skipper putting his shot too close to Kiely who managed to turn it behind for a corner. Scharner then guided an inswinging N’Zogbia cross inches the wrong side the far post as Latics kept the pressure on.

Kingson came to the rescue in the 54th minute when Baggies skipper Jonathan Greening got clear of the visitors defence, outpacing Melchiot. He pulled the trigger as he got into the box, Ghana international Kingson diving to tip it over the bar at full stretch.

Albion regained the lead just before the hour mark, referee Peter Walton awarding a penalty after Titus Bramble tripped Fortune just in from the by line. Brunt’s spot kick was blocked by Kingson but the winger was first to the rebound and couldn’t miss from three yards.

The hosts stretched their lead in the 73rd minute, Borja Valero the creator with a strong run down the right. His low centre picked out Fortune, the French striker side-stepping Melchiot’s challenge before firing home a low shot which took a deflection off Scharner’s backside.

Amr Zaki’s afternoon on the pitch lasted just 11 minutes. Introduced as a 70th minute substitute for N’Zogbia, he departed on a stretcher with what appeared to be a knee injury after landing awkwardly following a challenge in the air.

A very bad day at the office, but the scoreline did flatter the hosts somewhat. Looks like confidence will be at a low for the visit of United on Wednesday.

Match Report by Jason Taylor

Referee: Lee Probert (Gloucestershire)
Attendance: 25,641
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WEST BROMWICH ALBION WIGAN ATHLETIC
1 Dean Kiely 1 Chris Kirkland
22 Gianni Zuiverloon 25 Mario Melchiot
24 Shelton Martis 19 Titus Bramble
26 Jonas Olsson 7 Paul Scharner
2 Marek Cech 31 Maynor Figueroa
11 Chris Brunt 4 Lee Cattermole
17 Graeme Dorrans 16 Antonio Valencia
8 Jonathan Greening 23 Olivier Kapo
28 Borja Valero 11 Michael Brown
21 Juan Carlos Menseguez 14 Charles N’Zogbia
32 Marc-Antoine Fortune 20 Hugo Rodallega
SUBS
41 Ryan Allsopp 22 Richard Kingson
9 Roman Bednar 17 Emmerson Boyce
14 Do-Heon Kim 3 Erik Edman
20 Filipe Teixeira 10 Jason Koumas
29 Jay Simpson 24 Ben Watson
30 Ryan Donk 18 Daniel de Ridder
31 Youssouf Mulumbu 13 Amr Zaki
TIMELINE
8′ GoalMarc-Antoine Fortune
10′ Player OffChris Kirkland
Player OnRichard Kingson
17′ GoalHugo Rodallega
42′ GoalJonathan Greening
55′ Player OffGraeme Dorrans
Player OnYousouf Mulumbu
59′ GoalChris Brunt
70′ Player OffCharles N’Zogbia
Player OnAmr Zaki
73′ GoalMarc-Antoine Fortune
74′ Player OffMarek Cech
Player OnRyan Donk
75′ GoalBorja Valero
81′ Player OffAmr Zaki
Player OnDaniel de Ridder
87′ Player OffJuan Menseguez
Player OnJay Simpson