Wigan Athletic 0 Bolton Wanderers 1 – FA Cup 4th Round Replay

Both sides were much changed, and Wigan’s team sheet had nine players different to the one that started Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Anfield.

In came a host of fresh faces including the teenage attacker Callum McManaman, who acquitted himself well until forced off by injury just before the break.

This was never going to be a game for the purists but even on a heavy pitch we should and could have showed a bit more urgency in this game.

Paul Robinson did his best to get himself sent off for Bolton, but the referee was having none of it, even when he was screamed at and nearly butted he did decide that 25 fouls deserved a yellow.

However, it was an enforced change that arguably proved most effective for the hosts.

Without the solid goalkeeping of Pollitt – who owed his second start of the season to the ineligibility of Ali Al Habsi, the Omani on loan from Bolton, Wigan would have fallen behind long before they did.

Pollitt denied Johan Elmander when the Sweden international nipped in to capitalise on Gary Caldwell’s stray back-pass, and Latics were again indebted to the veteran keeper when he made an agile save from Martin Petrov’s dipping volley.

Latics did have their chances in this game, Bolton defender David Wheater had to rely on his goalkeeper, Adam Bogdan, to spare his blushes when he sliced an early clearance.

Gomez clipped the bar for Wigan after he was set up by Ronnie Stam and the offside Mohamed Diame had an effort ruled out.

The team looked like one that needed the ten day rest they will now get, well it would have been a better excuse had it been the first team that had thrown in that performance.

Lets hope we can put this behind us for the visit of Manchester United next week. After all we can now concentrate on the League can’t we!!!!!

Cockney Latic Man of the Match: Callum McManaman