Jordi Gomez’ first goal for Wigan Athletic and a screamer for N’Zogbia wasn’t enough as Latics let slip another glorious opportunity to get three points – their inability to kill games off sees us lose another game that we dominated.

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE – DW STADIUM – Saturday 5th December 2009

WIGAN ATHLETIC
N’Zogbia 33
Gomez 89

2-3
BIRMINGHAM CITY
Larsson 61
Benitez 66
Larsson 72

Jordi Gomez scored his first goal for the club, Charles N’Zogbia scored a screamer and the team played well for 70 minutes dominating affairs, but yet again we didn’t kill off another team and fell to three second half goals in 11 minutes to lose the match.

It was a thrilling final few minutes at the DW Stadium, but sadly not the ending Latics wanted as Birmingham held on to claim all three points.

Charles N’Zogbia gave an inspirational performance and scored a superb opener, curling left-footed into the top corner to put his side ahead.

Roberto Martinez’s men continued to control the first-half, and the game should really have been over by the half-way mark, as chances came, but were spurned.

But credit to Birmingham, they got their act together for the second-period and pressed forward intent on getting back into the game with Sebastian Larsson playing a pivotal role.

Mike Pollitt, who replaced the injured Chris Kirkland early-on in the game, was unlucky to be on the receiving end of Birmingham’s comeback, having made a number of fine saves during the game.

Jordi Gomez’s first goal for the club put things on a knife-edge with moments to go, a precise left-footer from 20-yards out that left Joe Hart with no chance. Alas it was not enough…

The equaliser came on the hour-mark when Hendry Thomas was dubiously penalised for a foul on the left-wing. Larsson stepped up and curled one to the far post, bypassing every player in the box to creep in cruelly.

Benitez then raced clear of the defence moments later to squeeze a shot past Pollitt that trickled into the net and put the visitors into the lead.

Frustration crept in as the home side tried desperately to get back into the game to no avail, Hendry Thomas will miss next weekend’s trip to Stoke City after picking up his fifth yellow-card of the season.

Larsson capped things off with 20 minutes to go dispatching a free-kick into the bottom left-corner, and making sure the points were heading back down the M6.

Cockney Latic Man of the Match: Charles N’Zogbia
Referee: Lee Probert (Gloucestershire)
Attendance: 18,797
LINE UP
WIGAN ATHLETIC BIRMINGHAM CITY
1 Chris Kirkland 25 Joe Hart
25 Mario Melchiot 2 Stephen Carr
17 Emmerson Boyce 14 Roger Johnson
19 Titus Bramble 6 Liam Ridgewell
31 Maynor Figueroa 15 Scott Dann
27 Mohamed Diame 4 Lee Bowyer
14 Charles N’Zogbia 12 Barry Ferguson
7 Paul Scharner 7 Sebastian Larsson
9 Jason Scotland 16 James McFadden
6 Hendry Thomas 11 Christian Benitez
20 Hugo Rodallega 10 Cameron Jerome
SUBS
12 Mike Pollitt 1 Maik Taylor
4 Antonio Amaya 20 Franck Queudrue
10 Jason Koumas 27 Gregory Vignal
15 Jordi Gomez 26 Lee Carsley
23 Olivier Kapo 18 Keith Fahey
24 James McCarthy 24 Jay O’Shea
16 Scott Sinclair 19 Gary McSheffrey
TIMELINE
15′ Yellow Card Hugo Rodallega
24′ Player Off Chris Kirkland
Player On Mike Pollitt
33′ Goal Charles N’Zogbia
61′ Goal Sebastian Larsson
66′ Goal Christian Benitez
69′ Player Off Mohamed Diame
Player On Scott Sinclair
72′ Goal Sebastian Larsson
75′ Yellow Card Hendry Thomas
76′ Player Off Emmerson Boyce
Player On Jordi Gomez
81′ Player Off Cameron Jerome
Player On Keith Fahey
89′ Goal Jordi Gomez