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  • Date:2009-02-07
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:The JJB Stadium
  • Attendance:16499
  • Referee:Probert, L

Live Commentary

90mins

The referee brings the game to a close with both sides forced to settle for a point after a drab affair at the JJB.

90mins

The fourth official has indicated that there will be two minutes of added time, thankfully for all the supporters who have seen enough of this.

89mins

Final changes of the match for Fulham with Zoltan Gera coming on for Clint Dempsey.

84mins

Figueroa puts a high ball into the penalty area from a freekick just inside the Fulham half but once again the visitors stand strong and clear the ball away as we head towards the final few moments of this game.

82mins

Konchesky with a corner for Fulham which is towards Dempsey but he can't win it and Rodallega does his defensive duties well and heads the ball away.

81mins

N'Zogbia takes the corner for Wigan which Paintsil heads away but only as far as Watson who blasts the ball high and over the bar from outside the box.

80mins

To say this has been a poor second half would be a big understatement as Konchesky slices a clearance high and out for a corner to Wigan, sums it up quite nicely.

75mins

Second change of the game for Fulham with Erik Nevland coming on for Bobby Zamora.

72mins

Pretty routine save from Schwarzer as Cattermole drives the ball towards goal, taking a deflection on the way through which takes the pace off the ball and allows Schwarzer to make the save.

71mins

Lovely looking low cross-field ball into the box from Davies nearly finds Johnson sliding in, who just gets his studs to the ball but can't direct if past Kirkland.

70mins

Davies with the resulting freeklck is too close to Kirkland who comes off his line well to punch the ball away from danger.

69mins

Maynor Figueroa becomes the first Wigan player to go into the book after a badly timed tackle on Zamora.

64mins

Konchesky with a corner for Fulham which he whips in towards the near post but its not a great delivery as Cattermole heads it away.

63mins

Rodallega pulls a high ball back across the face of goal looking for Zaki but Hughes gets their with an important interception to head it away.

59mins

Paintsil with a dreadful header into the path of Zaki who takes on the shot first time but it is straight down the throat of Schwarzer.

54mins

Zamora slides a nice ball through the Wigan defence which Johnson tries to run onto but can't quite reach it before Kirkland arrives to gather the ball.

52mins

Davies wins a corner for Fulham and then floats it in towards the far post which Kirkland can gather far too easily.

51mins

A very, very slow start to the second half finally comes to life after a freekick from Koumas into the box which Zamora has to head away under pressure from a number of blue and white stripped shirts.

50mins

Paintsil gets himself booked.

45mins

The second half gets underway with both sides hoping they can capitalise on their missed opportunities after a number of chances went begging in the first 45.

45mins

Neither side is able to break the deadlock despite both teams having a number of good chances, the best of which fell to Mido who headed the ball wide from six yards.

45mins

Fulham are the ones forced into a change now with Dickson Etuhu forced off and on for his debut come Olivier Dacourt .

44mins

Long throw-in into the penalty area which Dempsey inadvertently flicks on for Koumas, the Welsh international firing in a shot on the volley which goes a couple of yards wide.

41mins

Wigan make their third and final change inside the first half with Mido forced off through injury and on in his place comes Amr Zaki.

38mins

Davies swings in a corner for Fulham which comes off the head of Hangeland and then seemingley headed off the line and over by a Zamora for a goal kick.

33mins

Clint Dempsey goes into the book after a trip on Mario Melchiot.

33mins

Davies gets himself into space and swings in a lovely cross looking for Zamora but he can't quite reach the cross and Wigan can clear, building up nicely between these two sides.

29mins

Koumas sings in a corner for Wigan from the left which he sends towards the far post but Schwarzer is there who does well to claim the ball.

28mins

Konchesky swings in a corner from the left which drops under the crossbar only for the referee's whistle to blow for a foul on Kirkland.

26mins

Much better stuff from Wigan as Maynor Figueroa gets himself into space on the left hand side and swings in a lovely cros which Mido heads just a couple of inches wide.

23mins

The corner by Koumas isn't a good one and it is easily claimed by Schwarzer.

23mins

Route one from Wigan after Rodallega flicked the ball on for Mido who hits a stinging drive towards goal which Schwarzer has to tip around his left hand post.

21mins

Johnson has the ball in the back of the net but only after the assistant referee has raised his flag for offside, unlucky for Fulham as it was a tight decision.

19mins

Wigan make two changes with Antonio Valencia going off to be replaced by Ben Watson and Michael Brown heads off to be replaced by Jason Koumas.

18mins

Great save from Kirkland after Johnson found Zamora running into the penalty and without breaking stride the former West Ham man fires it towards goal forcing the save from Kirkland.

16mins

Fulham win their first corner of the game with Davies swinging it from the left, its a poor corner and eventually the ball comes to Paul Konchesky whose cross in is poor and Wigan can clear.

14mins

Mido wins a corner for Wigan after his shot his Brede Hangeland, the corner comes in from Valencia with Hughes heading the ball clear.

13mins

Dempsey slides a nice ball through for Johnson who gets goal side of the defender and then appears to have his heels clipped by Bramble inside the box but nothing doing for the referee who waves play.

11mins

Best chance of the match goes Wigan as a cross came into the box from the left finding Rodallega unmarked from 10 yards out but his header is over the crossbar, much to the relief of Mark Schwarzer.

8mins

Murphy balls a nice ball over for Johnson but Bramble gets there first and touches the ball back to Kirkland as the visitors continue to dominate possession.

5mins

Its fair to say that both defences are on top at the minute but Fulham have made the better start as Johnson picks out Murphy on the edge of the area but the Fulham skipper drags his shot well wide.

1mins

Fulham make a bright start to the game with Simon Davies bringing down a high ball and getting a shot off with his right foot but sending it well wide, hopefully not a sign of things to come in terms of finishing.

0mins

Referee Lee Probert gets this game underway at a freezing JJB Stadium with two sides looking to maintain their positions in the top half of the Premier League.

0mins

Fulham XI: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Davies, Etuhu, Murphy, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora.

0mins

Only one of Fulham's new signings makes the squad with Oliver Dacourt starting on the bench as Giles Barnes misses out as Roy Hodgson sticks with the same 11 who beat Portsmouth last week.

0mins

Wigan XI: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Brown, Cattermole, N'Zogbia, Mido, Rodallega

0mins

Wigan boss Steve Bruce hands a debut to Charles N'Zogbia after he completed his move from Newcastle on Monday while Amr Zaki returns but only to the bench with Mido and Hugo Rodallega starting up front.

Match Preview

Wigan Athletic host Fulham after failing to win any of their last four games, although three of those have been against sides currently placed in the Premier League's top four.

Latics boss Steve Bruce has had to come to terms with losing four players in the last few weeks. Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios left the club for Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, while Ryan Taylor and Henri Camara moved to Newcastle United and Stoke City on transfer deadline day.

However, the former Birmingham boss has moved to strengthen his side in light of their departures. Hugo Rodallega and Mido have enjoyed promising starts to life at the JJB Stadium, with the latter netting a late penalty against Liverpool last week to earn his side a point.

Charles N'Zogbia has also arrived as part of the deal which saw Taylor move to Newcastle, giving Bruce another option on the wings.

Amr Zaki is hoping to return to Wigan's frontline following a thigh strain, while Antonio Valencia is also facing a race to be fit in time following a hamstring problem.

Fulham returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory against Portsmouth on Saturday, but Roy Hodgson's side haven't won on the road in the Premier League this season.

Hodgson's side lie four points behind the Latics having played two games less than their hosts, putting themselves in contention for a European spot at the end of the season.

However, Hodgson is keeping his feet firmly on the ground, claiming survival is still his first goal.

"With a small squad, we've overachieved so far," he said. "We've 14 points more than this time last year which is very comforting. We're still nowhere near the target we're going to need to stay in the league."

New loan signings Olivier Dacourt and Giles Barnes should be available for the Cottagers, as should Julian Gray who has completed a permanent move from Coventry City.


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Match Report

Wigan had to settle for a share of the points and their third draw on the trot after being disrupted by first-half injuries to three key players.

Both teams had the chances to win a scrappy game but on an ice cold day at the JJB Stadium, the two keepers did their job when required.

Record £6million signing Charles N'Zogbia was on debut for Wigan and also included in the starting line-up was Colombian Hugo Rodallega, with Amr Zaki on the bench.

The Latics were also boosted by the return of Antonio Valencia.

Still hunting that elusive first away win of the season, Fulham were missing Chris Baird and had loan signing Olivier Dacourt on the bench, but there was no place for their other new arrival Giles Barnes.

Wigan had an early let off when Andy Johnson stumbled over in the box after contact with Paul Scharner but ref Lee Probert was unimpressed by the claims for a penalty.

The ex-Everton striker then fashioned a shooting chance for himself after giving Titus Bramble the slip but Chris Kirkland was
perfectly positioned to block.

Johnson then set up the strike for Bobby Zamora but the Latics keeper did well to tip it away for a corner.

A header from Rodallega was Wigan's only reply early on and they suffered a double blow when Michael Brown and Valencia had to be replaced with only 20 minutes gone.

Mido, who became the third Wigan player to limp off just before the break, injected some life into the proceedings with a stinging shot which was well saved by Mark Schwarzer at the foot of the post and the Egypt striker was desperately unlucky steering a header just wide from Manor Figueroa's cross.

A Simon Davies corner spelled trouble for the Latics after Kirkland missed it, but Zamora headed over from five yards.

Jason Koumas had the chance to break the deadlock but blasted wide and Ben Watson also failed to hit the target

Johnson was a real threat for Fulham and Kirkland had to move quickly to deny him a chance to shoot as the second half opened up and then fizzled out.

Wigan Athletic

Fulham

Corners

48

Fouls

912

Goal attempts

108

Shots off target

76

Offsides

02

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