Albion, who are only outside the top four on goal difference, had previously garnered only two points on their travels but took all three against the Latics thanks to a James Morrison header and an own goal from Gary Caldwell, with Arouna Kone replying for the hosts.
The home side, who came into the game on the back of successive wins against West Ham and Tottenham, started brightly with their fast flowing passing game backed up with the necessary midfield bite from the industrious James McCarthy.
And it was Wigan who created the first chance of the game on 10 minutes, Ben Watson seeing his crisp drive from the edge of the area parried by Boaz Myhill, deputising for the injured Ben Foster in the Albion goal.
At the other end, West Brom's main threat came initially from Jonas Olsson whose muscular presence in and around the penalty area sparked an ugly exchange with Ivan Ramis and eventually brought a stern lecture from referee Neil Swarbrick.
But Steve Clarke's Albion mix brawn with brain and it was the latter that led to their well worked opener on 31, as Chris Brunt's pinpoint cross was headed powerfully home by Morrison - although the Wigan defence could have been awarded an assist for some dreadful marking.
Visibly buoyed by their goal, the Baggies sought to press home their advantage with a second before half time and it duly arrived a minute before the break, the hapless Caldwell diverting Billy Jones' cross-cum-shot into his own net.
The home crowd were stunned - but they found their voices within 60 seconds as Wigan immediately reduced the deficit, Kone turning in Jean Beausejour's teasing low cross at the far post to bring a breathless first half to a close.
The second half began in much the same vein as the first with Watson again forcing a save from Myhill with a powerful strike from the edge of the area (48).
However, West Brom weathered the storm and were within a fingertip of restoring their two goal cushion eight minutes later, Ali Al-Habsi brilliantly clawing away Romelu Lukaku's goalbound shot.
The visitors sent on Zoltan Gera and Peter Odemwingie for Morrison and Shane Long as they sought to make the game safe (68) but it was Wigan who were looking the more likely scorers as the game entered its closing stages.
Franco Di Santo spurned a great chance on 81, heading the ball against Kone and over the bar with the goal at his mercy but that was as close as the Latics came as Albion held on to record back-to-back wins for the first time this campaign.
Post Comment
