Kick-off: 15:00
Venue: The JJB Stadium
Attendance: 16359
Referee: Styles, R

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL TIME: WIGAN ATHLETIC 1-1 WATFORD: Styles blows up for full time as both sides have to settle for a point.

88mins

Scharner gets a touch on Landzaat's free-kick but his effort is deflected behind for a corner which comes to nothing as Watford live again.

85mins

Mahon is the latest player to go into the book following a late foul.

84mins

Watford make another change as Matthew Spring replaces Bouazza.

82mins

Kilbane fires in the free-kick but goes straight into the arms of Hornets keeper Foster.

81mins

Mackay goes into the book for pulling back Heskey and Wigan have a free kick in a dangerous position.

79mins

Watford try to respond but De Zeeuw is on hand to clear Gavin Mahon's cross.

77mins

Latics push forward again but Camara is caught offside much to the frustration of the home fans.

76mins

Wigan hit back and win a corner but Kilbane's cross comes to nothing as Styles spots an infringement in the penalty area.

74mins

Watford are starting to get on top and again go close as DeMerit heads just over the bar.

73mins

Watford make a change as Smith is replaced by Darius Henderson.

72mins

Its end to end stuff and this time Watford go close as Young heads Bouazza's cross just wide from inside the box.

71mins

Latics go close at the other end as Heskey just directs a Landzaat cross wide with his head.

69mins

Watford almost go into the lead but King misses a great chance with the goal at his mercy.

64mins

Wigan earn a free kick down the other end but Kilbane's cross is easily gathered by Kilbane.

63mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 1-1 WATFORD (BOUAZZA): Bouazza fires home a fine free kick straight from the training ground to get the Hornets back level.

60mins

Teale looks lively since coming on to the field and is unlucky to see his shot go just over the Watford bar.

58mins

Young breaks away for Watford but his final cross is poor and goes high over the bar as King waited in the penalty area.

56mins

Wigan force a corner but Kilbane's cross is easily cleared by Stewart.

54mins

Wigan make a change as Gary Teale replaces Valencia.

52mins

King almost equalises for Watford but Kirkland does well to push the striker's stinging shot on to the post.

51mins

Camara goes into the referee's book.

50mins

King whips in another cross as Watford continue to push and Francis is unlucky to see his header go just wide.

49mins

The Hornets go on the attack but Smith's cross is easily handled by Latics goalkeeper Kirkland.

46mins

Styles blows up to get the second half underway and Watford are immediately caught offside as they go on the attack.

45mins

Styles blows up for half time and is immediately surrounded by Watford players who protest against the goal.

43mins

Camara fires in another shot from 25 yards but Foster is on hand to pull off an easy save.

41mins

Camara goes closes to doubling Wigan's lead but his shot from just inside the box goes inches wide.

38mins

Watford push forward again but Stewart's cross is cleared by Landzaat.

35mins

Watford try to hit back but De Zeeuw takes the ball off King's toe as he tries to get a shot away.

32mins

Valencia goes into the book following a late tackle on Tommy Smith.

29mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 1-0 WATFORD (CAMARA): Camara fires home from close range and despite the linesman putting his flag up for offise, referee Rob Styles allows the goal to stand.

26mins

Watford try and mount an attack but Chris Kirkland is on hand to gather DeMerit's cross.

25mins

This time Scharner is caught offside as Heskey tries a neat back heal.

23mins

Wigan push forward but again the linesman's flag goes up as Camara is caught offside.

22mins

The game is still scrappy but Wigan break down the other end and Heskey sees his header go miles wide of the target.

19mins

The Wigan fans are incensed as Heskey is caught just offside as Wigan try to push forward.

17mins

Wigan hit back through the lively Valencia but his final cross lets him down and Malky Mackay is on hand to sweep up.

15mins

The Hornets try and push forward again but King is caught just offside.

14mins

Watford force a corner but Ashley Young's cross is poor and Paul Scharner is on hand to head the danger clear.

12mins

The windy conditions are making life difficult with both sides struggling to play good football.

10mins

Wigan win a free-kick in a dangerous position following a foul on Kevin Kilbane but Valencia's cross is headed clear by Jordan Stewart.

8mins

Henri Camara is caught just offside as Wigan try and mount another attack.

7mins

Latics continue to push forward with Antonio Valencia breaking down the wing but his dangerous cross is cleared by Danny Shittu.

5mins

Wigan are down to nine men as Baines and Arjan De Zeeuw clash and have to leave the field of play.

3mins

Watford mount their first attack and Marlon King is unlucky tp see his shot blocked by Leighton Baines

1mins

The game gets underway with Wigan immediately on the attack but Emile Heskey is caught just offside

Match Report

Henri Camara put his injury problems behind him firing Wigan into the lead to open his account for the season. But it was not enough to give Paul Jewell's side maximum points. Wigan's top Premiership scorer last year with 12 goals, Camara's start to the new campaign has been hampered by a niggling thigh injury. But he failed to cash in on two other chances before half time and with the Latics failing to build on his early strike, it was no surprise when Watford grabbed the equaliser through 21 year old French star Hameur Bouazza..

After making modest starts to the campaign, both sides were looking to get their season into gear with Watford still looking for their first win since promotion. Adrian Boothroyd had made his priorities clear when he played a virtual reserve team in the penalty shoot out Carling cup win over Accrington in midweek. But it was back to business with the return of his first choice men. Similarly Wigan too had a more familiar look after making half a dozen changes in their line-up when they were knocked out of the League cup by Crewe.

Bulgarian striker Svetoslav Todorov, on a season long loan from Portsmouth, was on the bench as Wigan named a full strength side with the exception of Lee McCulloch, still out with a knee injury.

Wigan were first to show, Kevin Kilbane forcing Ben Foster to scamper across goal to keep out a free kick. But there was a scare for the Latics when Arjan de Zeeuw and
Leighton Baines both went down in a heap after blocking the shot from Marlon King. Both recovered after treatment.

A giant clearance from Chris Kirkland caused panic in the Watford box but Foster enjoyed the luck of the bounce after being challenged by Emile Heskey. Wigan were looking to use the pace of Heskey and Henri Camara to open up the Hornets' defence, but three times they were foiled by an offside flag.

Watford too were also being frustrated by Wigan's offside trap but Ashley Young, Tommy Smith and King were keeping the home defence busy.

Kilbane on his JJB debut set up another attack with a sweeping crossfield ball to Antonio Valencia, but the Ecuador World Cup star failed to make the best of the opportunity.

Wigan took the lead when Camara seized on a back header from Malky Mackay to slot past Foster. The offside flag went up but ref Rob Styles over-ruled his assistant and gave the goal the thumbs up.

Camara had a great chance to hit his second courtesy of a Heskey flick but he dragged the left foot shot wide of the target. He then went racing clear to latch onto Kilbane's long ball but Foster was on red alert to deal with the shot.

Watford went agonisingly close to levelling it when King rattled in a fierce shot on the turn from about 20 yards out. Keeper Chris Kirkland appeared to get the slightest ouch, and the shot hit the right hand post, and re-bounded safely into the grateful arms
of the Wigan stopper.

Wigan escaped again when Young headed over the bar from King's cross.

But Watford were not to be denied, and grabbed the equaliser when Paris born Bouazza beat Kirkland from just outside the area with a well worked free kick. Heskey had a chance to restore Wigan's advantage but put a header over the bar from eight yards, and Jay Demerit suffered a similar fate at the other end.

A free kick offered Wigan another chance but Kilbane could not find the finish to beat Foster from long range.

Wigan Athletic Team

Watford Team

Wigan Athletic

Watford

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides