Notts County were admirable opponents tonight but goals from Camara, Zaky and Kupisz rounded off a very comfortable win for Latics.
The Magpies never really threatened Carlo Nash in goal, they had a shot on target in the 81st minute and that was after a Calamity James moment that they really should have capitalised upon.
Wigan took the game by the scruff of the neck from the first whistle and rarely gave a chance to the visitors. Even on the counter attack the Latics’ defence was more than capable of halting the advances of the desperate men in black and white. Camara showed his desire from the beginning, working and grafting to get the early goal. Heskey did his job by being the target man.
Valencia and de Ridder were bossing the midfield and everything was going Latics way. It was a big change from the loss to Hull last year, this team needed a confidence boost and my word did they get it tonight. The travelling 100 or so County fans that came reminded me of the ties I went away watching Latics on lost causes, I felt jealous at times.
But the game went exactly as Bruce will have planned it, be cautious at first and then go for the jugular. The first goal was very well worked, a beautiful ball played in by new boy Figueroa to Camara, who trapped the ball then calmly slotted it past Russell Hoult in the Notts County goal.
Half time came and the Notts County players looked shattered, they had been run ragged all half. This showed in the second half as two quick goals killed the game off. Great link up play put Zaky through on goal and it was two nil.
The third came courtesy of Zaki unselfishly crossing the ball for Camara to head home from 10 yards. The game was wrapped up in the last few minutes by Tomasz Kupisz, bagging the fourth goal and sealing a comfortable and moral boosting win ahead of the league game with Hull on Saturday.
Report by Jayt
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