In the final home game of the season Roberto Martinez decided to change the team around and introduce a new name to the Latics squad. Jordan Mostoe was named amongst the substitutes and fans will feel that if Latics had put the game to bed then the youngster would have made his first team debut.
Hull made their final trip to the DW in numbers. Around 3000 made the trip from Humberside hoping to see either a 22-0 win in their favour or the more likely, a first win away since March 2009. With relegation all but confirmed the Hull fans were in fine voice and showed tremendous support to their team.
Wigan made the better start of the two. Jordi Gomez was the first to challenge Matt Duke with left footed effort which just beat the Hull keepers post. It took almost 15 minutes for Hull to get into the game, with Ben Watson playing some great football and Gary Caldwell seeing himself unlucky not to have the first goal of the afternoon.
A very stop start first half needed some inspiration to come to life. This came in the form of a certain Victor Moses. Moses cut in from the left hand side and from just outside the area fired home past a flailing Duke to give the Latics the lead and Moses his first goal for the club. Coupled with his fantastic goal Moses treated the Latics faithful to a fantastic celebration, a round off tuck to cap a fantastic moment for the youngster.
The goal made Hull raise their game. Old friend Kevin Kilbane proved a right handful for the 90 minutes and showed why he is still in the Premier League. Kilbane floated a ball into the Latics area which Vladimir Stojkovic failed to deal with and Will Atkinson was able head home to give Hull a draw at the break.
Stojkovic was to come under a barrage of abuse from this incident. His reluctance to catch the ball had gifted Hull the chance to draw level and subsequently every catch he made from here on in was greeted with an ironic cheer.
Hull was the team to start the second half the brighter. Thriving on their equaliser just before half time the Tigers went out in search of a second. They only had to wait for the hour mark when Mark Cullen headed home past a bellow par Stojkovic to give the Yorkshire outfit a 2-1 lead. Only 21 needed and West Ham was in real danger.
Ben Watson tried to provide some spark to the Wigan attack. Watson came close with many efforts and his set pieces were creating plenty of opportunities but the Latics could not take a chance. It was only in the 3rd minute of added time that Latics managed to pull the game back. Steve Gohouri with an acrobatic effort beat duke at his near post to give the Latics a deserved point. The pitch invasion that followed meant that Phil Dowd took all the players and officials off the pitch and created a delay in the ending of the game.
No late drama was seen at the DW and the players will be glad that there is no relegation drama for Wigan next week.
A final farewell it would seem from Paul Scharner who had the message ‘THANX’ in his hair and he has been a great player for the club.
Martinez said that this season was a building process and that the club had to survive. Next season the Latics will build and fans will be confident that Mr Martinez can take the club in the right direction.
Report by Simon Gregory
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