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  • Heskey (45), Heskey (75)
  • Lampard (13), Kalou (31), Robben (90)
  • Date:2006-12-23
  • Kick-off:17:15
  • Venue:The JJB Stadium
  • Attendance:22077
  • Referee:Dean, M

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL TIME: WIGAN ATHLETIC 2-3 CHELSEA: The referee blows up for full time as Chelsea grab a dramatic late three points.

90mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 2-3 CHELSEA (ROBBEN): Robben fires home a dramatic late goal to put Chelsea back in front.

90mins

Wigan earn a free kick and Baines tries his luck from range but Hilario is behind the ball to pull off the save.

89mins

De Zeeuw goes into the book following a late tackle on Shevchenko.

87mins

Mikel goes into the book for a let foul.

86mins

Chelsea win another corner and it takes a great save from Kirkland to save Carvalho's header.

85mins

Wigan make their final change as Wright replaces Landzaat.

85mins

Robben whips in the corner but again Wigan defend bravely to get the ball away.

84mins

Chelsea mount a rare attack and a good break by Drogba down the left earns them a corner.

83mins

Wigan are pusing for the winner and Cotterill is just caught offside at the far post.

79mins

Chelsea make a double change as Mikel and Shevchenko come on for Boulahrouz and Makelele.

78mins

Wigan make another change as Teale replaces Todorov.

75mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 2-2 CHELSEA (HESKEY): Wigan get what they deserve as Heskey fires the ball home from close range following a great cross in from Cotterril.

73mins

Heskey is booked following the tussle with Carvalho.

72mins

Heskey almost breaks clean through on goal but Carvalho pulls off some great defending to keep him out.

71mins

Wigan make a change as Cotterill comes on to the field to replace Johansson.

70mins

Heskey whips in a cross from the left following good work by the striker but the ball goes safely into the arms of Hilario.

67mins

Wigan still have the upperhand and force a corner but Drogba manages to get the ball clear.

66mins

Lampard has words with the referee and goes into the book for his efforts.

64mins

Chelsea cannot cope with a long throw by Hall, the ball falls to Johansson but his snap shot goes high over the bar.

63mins

Robben breaks down the left but his low cross into the box is hacked clear by De Zeeuw.

61mins

Chelsea look rattled and Wigan almost level matters but Heskey just cannot connect, the ball falls to Johansson who fires into the side netting.

59mins

Wigan are continuing to give Chelsea a game and Johansson does well down the right to force a corner but Kilbane's cross is poor and Chelsea clear.

57mins

Cole whips in a cross for Chelsea but the Wigan defence stands firm and clears the danger.

54mins

It's end to end stuff as Wigan break away and Johansson is unlucky to see his shot flash just wide.

53mins

Kalou has the ball in the back of the net again for Chelsea but the effort is ruled out for offside.

50mins

Wigan push again but the ball just won't fall for Heskey in the box and Chelsea manage to scramble the danger clear.

49mins

Wigan look a much better team after the beak and Kilbane blazes a shot just wide from inside the box.

46mins

Wigan break down the other end and Boulahrouz goes in the book following a late tackle.

45mins

Chelsea almost restore their two-goal advantage as Frank Lampard scuffs his shot wide from the edge of the box.

45mins

HALF TIME: WIGAN ATHLETIC 1-2 CHELSEA: The referee blows up for half time.

45mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 1-2 CHELSEA (HESKEY): Heskey heads home from close range to give Wigan a lifeline.

44mins

Robben is booked following a clumsy tackle on Landzaat.

43mins

Wigan are starting to cause problems and Johansson gets in again but this time can only shoot straight at Hilario.

42mins

Wigan almost get back into it as Kilbane fires in a stinging shot but Hilario is right behind it and pulls off an easy save.

40mins

Boyce tries his luck from range and fires in a dipping volley but his effort goes high over Hilario's bar.

38mins

The game has gone flat as Chelsea sit on their lead and Wigan cannot muster and attack.

35mins

Landzaat pumps another ball into the box but again no-one is near it and Hilario gathers the ball.

33mins

The second goal has knocked the stuffing out of Wigan as Skoko flashes in a long-range shot that goes miles wide.

30mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-2 CHELSEA (KALOU): Kalou makes it 2-0 when he rises unmarked at the near post to head home Robben's corner.

29mins

Kilbane goes raiding down the left but Ballack tracks him well and dopes enough to earn a goalkick.

27mins

Kilbane whips in a cross from the right but Hilario is on hand to gather the ball at the far post.

25mins

Kalou breaks down the right again and cuts the ball back to Drogba who delays his shot on the edge of the box and the opportunity is gone.

23mins

Kalou is on fire down the right and breaks into the box but no-one is there to get on the end of his low cross.

21mins

Drogba makes a good run to get behind the Wigan defence but Essien's pass is poor and the opportunity passes.

18mins

Chelsea break down the other end but Essien's cross is headed clear by De Zeeuw as Wigan ride another storm.

17mins

Wigan continue to push forward looking for a quick response but there is no way through the solid Chelsea defence.

15mins

Wigan try and hit back but again Boyce's cross into the box is poor and Chelsea manage to clear the danger.

13mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-1 CHELSEA (LAMPARD): Lampard capitalises on some poor Wigan defending to spring the offside trap and slot the ball home from close range.

12mins

Wigan hit back and Heskey is unlucky to see his header go over the bar after Boyce whips in the cross.

11mins

Kalou misses an absolute sitter from eight yards as Kirkland pushes his shot against the post and on to safety.

9mins

Chelsea are having the bulk of the possession but are struggling to find the killer ball to break Wigan down.

7mins

Kalou latches on to a long ball over the top but tries to take his shot on the volley and after failing to connect the ball goes safely into Kirkland's arms.

6mins

Kalou goes raiding down the right flank and does well to win a corner but Lampard's cross is poor and Wigan clear.

5mins

Wigan try to mount an attack but Skoko's measured pass on the edge of the box is cut out by Carvalho.

4mins

Chelsea attack again and Ashley Cole is almost through but the pass from Robben is poor and De Zeeuw can mop up the danger.

1mins

Chelsea go straight on the attack but Kalou is caught just offside as he tries to break into the Wigan box.

0mins

Wigan are without the injured Henri Camara and suspended Lee McCulloch against Chelsea who welcome back Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba.

Match Preview

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell is demanding a response from his players after last weekend's 1-0 defeat by Sheffield United.

The angry Latics boss branded the first half of his side's performance as the worst since he took charge of the club five years ago and afterwards let his players know exactly what he thought of their display.

Wigan are now 12th in the table after back-to-back defeats and Jewell is only too aware that his side have put in a number of disappointing displays in front of the club's home fans.

The last three games at the JJB Stadium have ended in defeat for the home side and, with attendance figures sometimes struggling to top 15,000, it hardly encourages the stay-away Wigan public to turn up and support their side.

On the pitch the Latics will be without Lee McCulloch after the forward was hit with a three-match ban by the FA in midweek for punching Sheffield United's Chris Morgan last Saturday.

Antonio Valencia and Gary Teale (both hamstring) are unlikely to return for the visit of the champions and Henri Camara is out for six weeks after injuring his knee against the Blades.

Chelsea are now the bookies' favourites to clinch a third successive Premiership crown after a weekend where everything went in their favour.

Not only did Jose Mourinho's side come from behind twice to beat Everton 3-2 at Goodison Park, but league leaders Manchester United slipped to defeat at West Ham United.

The gap at the top is now down to two points and, with the Red Devils still to visit Stamford Bridge in April, the title race looks like going down to the wire.

Last weekend Chelsea failed to find top gear but still walked away with three points courtesy of a stunning strike from Didier Drogba.

The Ivory Coast striker has been in lethal form this season and his ten goals have moved him to the top of the Premiership goalscoring charts.

With no fresh injury worries to contend with the only concern Mourinho has is whether to stick with the 4-3-3 formation he has adopted in recent weeks.

The Portuguese coach has decided to revert to the system that has served him so well in recent seasons which has resulted in £30million striker Andriy Shevchenko being dropped to the bench.


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Match Report

Wigan gave mega-bucks Chelsea a run for their money in a JJB thriller, refusing to throw in the towel despite conceding twice in the opening half hour.

But Arjen Robben hit the winner two minutes into injury time to condemn unlucky Wigan to their fourth home defeat on the trot.

Skipper Frank Lampard got the opener for the champions and Salomon Kalou got the second - his first goal in the Premiership.

But former England striker Emile Heskey sparked a spirited comeback by the Latics with an injury-time header and made it five for the season with the second-half equaliser before Robben broke Wigan hearts.

Wigan found their resources stretched to the limit with Henri Camara, Paul Scharner, Andy Webster and Antonio Valenica all on the casualty list and Lee McCulloch starting a three-match ban for punching Sheffield United's Chris Morgan.

It gave on-loan Bulgarian striker Svetoslav Todorov his first start, while Swede Andreas Johansson also got a rare chance, with fit-again Gary Teale on the bench.

Chelsea, still hot in pursuit of Manchester United, were again without skipper John Terry.

Ivory Coast star Kalou had two early chances to give Chelsea a flying start only to be foiled by keeper Chris Kirkland.

Robben set up the first opening, but Kalou only got the slightest of touches and Kirkland was perfectly positioned to hold it.

Didier Drogba and Robben then combined to give Kalou a clear sight of the target, but the shot lacked conviction and Kirkland turned it onto his left post and darted back to gather it at the second attempt.

But the champions continued to dominate and finally took the lead after 13 minutes. Dutch ace Robben slipped a great ball into the path of skipper Lampard and his shot went in through the legs of Kirkland.

There was a hint of offside, but replays suggested that Kevin Kilbane had played Lampard onside.

The Latics turned the tide briefly with Heskey heading over from an Emmerson Boyce cross, but Wigan were living dangerously at the other end as lively youngster Kalou fired across the face of goal.

And Chelsea's second came as no surprise, Kalou beating both De Zeeuw and Fitz Hall to the punch to power in a superb header from Robben's corner.

Hall thumped one over the bar as Wigan looked to get back into it, Kilbane forced an excellent save with a swerving shot from the edge of the area and Johansson also tested the keeper.

But Wigan grabbed a lifeline in stoppage time after Khalid Boulahrouz fouled Heskey just outside the area. Josip Skoko whipped in the free-kick and Heskey headed in his fourth of the season at the back post.

Lampard missed a great chance to restore Chelsea's two-goal advantage early in the second half, dragging a left-foot shot wide after Drogba set him up.

Wigan went agonisingly close when Johansson rattled one just wide, but they finally got their reward after 75 minutes.

Sub Dave Cotterill's cross was only half cleared and fell to Denny Landzaat who fired it back inside for Heskey to turn it past Hilario from five yards.

In a nail-biting finish, Kirkland thought that he had ensured that Wigan held on for a share of the points, turning a Ricardo Carvalho header over the bar, only for Robben to strike right at the death.

Wigan Athletic

Chelsea

Corners

36

Fouls

1010

Goal attempts

148

Shots off target

82

Offsides

13

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