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  • Date:2006-12-16
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:The JJB Stadium
  • Attendance:16322
  • Referee:Walton, P

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL TIME: WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-1 SHEFFIELD UNITED: The final whistle goes on a massive win for Sheffield United and another 3 points after an exciting second half display that should have seen more goals.

90mins

Wigan win a late corner and everybody is sent up including the goalkeeper. Morgan goes down in the box and the referee stops play.

90mins

United are incensed as the fourth official indicates that there will be 5 minutes of added time.

90mins

Gillespie runs at Baines, cuts inside and finds Armstrong but he loses out to Cotterill.

88mins

Leigh Bromby comes on in the final minutes to replace Danny Webber.

86mins

Montogomery wins the ball in midfield and releases Hulse who attacks De Zeeuw but his move comes to nothing and Gillespie is livid as he had made a good run in support.

84mins

Wright goes close with a powerful header form close range after some slack defending from United but Kenny turns it round the post.

81mins

Wigan makes their thrid and final change as time is running out for them. Kevin Kilbane makes way for Todorov.

80mins

A half chance for Hulse who gets himself on the end of a poor clearance, his shot takes deflection but Kirkland turns it round the post.

79mins

Gillespie whips his free kick into the box, Morgan goes for it but the ball bounces awkwardly in the path of Webber who tries to find the room to shoot but Wigan close him down and get the ball out.

78mins

Armstrong is brought down and Sheffield win a free kick 6 yards outside the box.

77mins

Kilbane curls a corner into the near post but Kenny plams the ball away and United break with Armstrong.

75mins

Davis is booked for climbing all over the Wigan players in the box before a corner.

73mins

A double change for United as Nick Montgomery comes on in place of Michael Tonge while Chris Armstrong replaces Stephen Quinn.

71mins

A chance for Heskey but Morgan is there at the right time by flicking the ball over his own crossbar.A chance for Heskey but Morgan is there at the right time by flicking the ball over his own crossbar.

70mins

Morgan is booked for a challenge from behind on Heskey.

68mins

Morgan concedes a free kick in a dangerous area. Wigan whip the ball in towards the back post but Jagielka watches it out.

67mins

Wigan make a second change with Emmerson Boyce being replaced by David Wright.

65mins

Tonge feeds a lovely ball through to Gillespie who does really well again as he bursts forward to the edge of the area, shoots and Kirkland gets a hand to it but sends it into the path of Webber who fires in with the follow up but Kirkland is there a

63mins

The game has become a little heated as Paul Jewell and Neil Warnock are being kept apart on the touchline by the fourth official.

62mins

Drama at the JJB Stadium as the linesman changes the referee's mind deciding it was ball to hand rather than a deliberate effort.

61mins

Gillespie does well to get to the corner flag and puts a deep cross in. De Zeeuw slips in the bos and it goes back to the keeper and the referee blows for a penalty against the Wigain captain for handball.

59mins

Kilbane again tests the keeper with a powerful effort from distance but Kenny always had it covered.

58mins

Sheffield are still under pressure as Wigan curl a corner into the box. Skoko and Kilbane rise to meet it but the danger is averted.

57mins

Kenny makes a fantastic save with his legs from Kilbane to keep it at 0-1.

55mins

Kilbane pushes the ball down the wing for Heskey and he tries to cut inside but is brought down by Morgan 30 yards from goal.

53mins

Kozluk displays some excellent skill on the edge of the area as he holds the ball up and supports the front two but the offside flag goes up.

51mins

Geary reacts well in the final third to take the ball away from Cotterill who is bearing down on goal.

49mins

Wigan float a free kick into the box, it comes out to Quinn who finds Landzaat and he hits it on the half volley stinging the palms of Kenny.

48mins

United put Wigan's penlaty area under some early pressure as Baines is forced into an awkward headed clearance.

46mins

The seocnd half gets underway as Wigan look to get an early equaliser.

46mins

Wigan make one change at the break with David Cotterill replacing Henri Camara, United come out unchanged.

45mins

HALF TIME: WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-1 SHEFFIELD UNITED: After a fairly open first half in which there were few clear cut chances for either side, United go in with a one goal lead thanks to Hulse's last gasp effort.

45mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-1 SHEFFIELD UNITED (HULSE): ROB HULSE fires United into the lead as he squeezes Quinn's superb cross past a diving Kirkland to make it 0-1.

44mins

McCulloch does well to get to the corner flag but some good defending from Kozluk and Geary ensures United win the goal kick.

43mins

Fitz Hall goes down and looks to be in some pain. He goes off to receive some treatment but looks like he will be able to continue.

41mins

Hulse is brought down to win a free kick which is taken quickly as United look to get something before the break.

39mins

A free kick for Sheffield in a godd position out on the left. Gillespie puts a superb ball into the box but it fails to find anyone in the box.

37mins

Webber comes forward and decides to go alone, shoots from distance but does not get it on target.

35mins

De Zeeuw wins the ball off Jagielka and Wigan come forward in space and find Sheffield stretched at the back. The cross goes in and Landzaat goes for it but just can't make it and United break.

33mins

Wigan win another free kick in a dangerous area. Baines stands over it 30 yards out but blasts it straight into the United wall.

31mins

Geary picks a the ball up in midfield. Hulse and Webber power into the box and the cross is played in by Geary. Hulse meets his with his head but it does not trouble Kirkland.

29mins

Gillespie tries to find Hulse but De Zeeuw gets there first and Hulse puts him under pressure forcing him to oput it out for a throw in deep in his own half.

27mins

Kilbane sends it long and Camara breaks free to chase it with Davis in pursuit but United breathe a sigh of relief as the offside flag goes up.

25mins

A great ball in from Davis to the feet of Hulse on the edge of the box but Wigan are there to defend it.

23mins

Hall feeds the ball out to the right for Landzaat who plays it quickly to Heslkey who gets his cross in. McCulloch rises to meet it but loops his header over the bar.

22mins

Kilbane gives the ball away to Gillespie who looks for Hulse and United come forward putting Wigan under pressure. Tonge wins a throw in deep in Wigan's half.

20mins

Wigan win a free kick in a dangerous area. Kevin Kilbane whips it in left-footed to the far post but Kenny is quickly out to meet it.

18mins

A nice early cross from Quinn finds Webber in space in the box but he heads over the bar.

16mins

Sheffield get a bit of luck as Heskley and Camara put Chris Morgan under some pressure deep in United's half and Morgan's hurried clearance clips the foot of Camara and goes out for a goal kick.

15mins

Derek Geary and Danny Webber link up well by the corner flag and Geary does well to whip the ball into the 6 yard box from a tight angle. Hulse rises to meet it but Kirkland plucks it out of the air.

13mins

Henri Camara tests Patrick Kenny with an effort from distance but it is an easy claim for the keeper.

11mins

Gillespie's ball forward it chased down by Rob Hulse but it is just fed back to Kirkland by Arjan De Zeeuw.

9mins

Robert Kozluk plays a long ball forwards which finds Gillespie but it is just in front of him and he cannot keep it in play.

8mins

Chris Kirkland launches the ball down field for Emile Heskey who controls it well and tries to put it in danger in the box but Claude Davis toe pokes it out for Wigan's first corner of the game.

6mins

Gillespie's right footed corner is chested out of danger but only goes as far as Michael Tonge who strikes it first-time from 25 yards but fails to find the target.

5mins

Webber chests the ball down for Keith Gillespie who does well against Leighton Baines to make his way to the by line and gets the cross in. It bobbles into the area but finds no one.

3mins

Danny Webber gives possession away by conceding a free kick inside Wigan's half for a handball.

1mins

The referee gets the game underway at the JJB Stadium and Wigan immediately knock the ball out of play.

0mins

Wigan captain Arjan de Zeeuw returns from injury having missed the last 4 matches with a toe injury but Gary Teale, Antonio Valencia, Steve McMillan and Ryan Taylor are all still out through injury. For Sheffield midfielder Michael Tonge returns to t

Match Preview

Wigan Athletic boss boss Paul Jewell is desperate for his side to pick up three points against Sheffield United after securing just one victory in their last six games.

A sequence of four straight wins six weeks ago had raised hopes of Wigan challenging for a European place, but their inconsistency has failed to see the Lancashire club improve on a mid-table berth.

On Wednesday evening their season was typified by a stirring performance against Arsenal at the JJB Stadium in which they conceded a late goal to lose the match.

Jewell blamed a lack of composure in front of goal for the defeat but was pleased with the all-round performance which he felt deserved at least a point.

On the injury front, Luis Antonio Valencia is set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines after limping off in the draw with Boro last weekend with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.

Gary Teale (hamstring) and Arjen de Zeeuw (toe) are also major injury doubts.

Sheffield United came within a whisker of securing their third successive Premiership victory in Monday's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.

Three points would have moved the Blades five points clear of the relegation zone, but despite the disappointment of conceding an equaliser to Villa, the South Yorkshire club now believe they can beat the drop.

"I feel we're proving ourselves worthy of our Premiership place," claimed midfielder Phil Jagielka after the Villa game.

"Before the season started we were second favourites for the drop. No-one was giving us a cat in hell's chance.

"But a lot of people will be eating their words at the moment and we have to make sure they are still doing that come May."

Manager Neil Warnock has been boosted by an early return to fitness of club record signing Claude Davis.


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Match Report

Wigan crashed to their third defeat on the trot at the JJB Stadium and it was the same old story for Paul Jewell. His team created the chances, failed to take them and paid the price.

For the Blades it was the third 1-0 win on their travels, with Rob Hulse hitting the winner with his fifth of the season.

But Neil Warnock's side felt they were robbed of a second-half spot-kick while Wigan's Kevin Kilbane blew a great chance to earn at least a share of the points.

Desperate to bounce back after the midweek defeat by Arsenal, Wigan were boosted by the return of skipper Arjan de Zeeuw after a month out with a damaged toe.

But midfielder Paul Scharner - free from suspension - missed out after picking up a knee injury in training.

United, fresh from a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa, had midfielder Michel Tonge back after a seven-week lay-off with an ankle injury. But youngster Stephen Quinn kept his place in the starting line-up after impressive performances in recent games. There was also a welcome return for defender Claude Davis after injury.

It was the first meeting between the sides at the JJB since 2004 when Wigan won the championship fixture 4-0.

Tonge signalled his return early on from a Keith Gillespie corner but the shot, set up by Davis, was blocked and cleared.

United went close when Quinn supplied a pinpoint cross from the left, but Danny Webber's textbook glancing header flew over.

Leading scorer Henri Camara had Wigan's first chance but snatched at the shot from just outside the area, and put it wide.

The Latics could have cashed in when Emile Heskey took advantage of a slip by Quinn out on the right. He got the cross into the danger area, but Lee McCulloch's header lacked both power and direction.

The Blades too were short of punch up front with Hulse heading straight into the arms of the Wigan keeper from Gillespie's cross and Webber fired one wide after the Latics were caught on the break.

Fitz Hall made a timely recovery from a knock to deny Webber an opportunity, clearing the danger with a header back to Chris Kirkland.

But the Blades grabbed the lead in first-half stoppage time. Gillespie's cross floated beyond the back post, it was turned back inside by Quinn and Hulse stuck out a boot to flick it past Kirkland .

The goal stood despite Wigan claims that the United frontman struck from an offside position.

The Latics responded to a half-time pep talk from Paul Jewell and instantly turned up the heat.

Paddy Kenny kept out a real blockbuster from Denny Landzaat before Republic of Ireland star Kilbane squandered a real gift.

Rob Kozluk handed him possession and a clear run on goal but the ex-Everton winger - yet to score since his £2.5million move from Goodison - failed to come up with a finish.

Leighton Baines just missed the target from long range and Lee McCulloch forced a one-handed save from Kenny with a header.

But United were fuming when ref Peter Walton awarded a penalty and then changed his mind after consulting his assistant.

The Blades were insistent that De Zeeuw handled Gillespie's cross, but the replay suggested that it struck his thigh and the ref got it right.

Gillespie, who has had two spells on loan at Wigan, used his speed to race clear, and force Kirkland into action with a terrific shot.

Webber went for the follow-up but the ball hit the post and was cleared.

A rare slip by De Zeeuw almost let Hulse in but Baines saved the day with a covering tackle and at the other end, sub David Wright was wide with a header.

Then deep in injury time, McCulloch saw a header cleared off the line.

Wigan Athletic

Sheffield United

Corners

62

Fouls

1012

Goal attempts

1411

Shots off target

84

Offsides

25

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