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Boro get their first points away from home this season with a late winner from Aliadiere. The French striker finished well from Downing's cushioned header but the win owed much to Boro keeper Turnbull.
WIGAN 0-1 MIDDLESBROUGH. ALIADIERE breaks Wigan hearts with a neat finish. Downing did well to set him up with a cushioned header.
Aliadiere and Digard look odds on to give Boro the lead but Bramble makes a brilliant clearance.
De Ridder comes on for Palacios.
Boro fans scream for a penalty. The ball seemed to hit Scharner's hand but the ref waved play on.
Zaki is replaced by Camara for Wigan.
Brilliant save by Turnbull after Koumas beat four Boro players before hitting an angled drive.
Johnson takes to the field in place of Alves.
Digard's causing the Wigan defence all sort of problems. Boro are on top now.
Aliadiere shoots wide of the target after good work by Digard. He was offside.
Palacios hits another good shot that Turnbull does well to smother.
Koumas is coming on for Wigan in place of Kapo.
Good save by Turnbull as Palacios plays in Heskey who shot straight at the Boro keeper.
Boro are on the front foot now as Downing drives a shot over the bar.
Digard almost makes an immediate impact after racing onto Alves' flick - but he can't keep his shot down.
Shawky makes way for Digard.
Scharner is third Wigan player to be booked.
Great tackle by Bramble to steal the ball from Aliadiere.
Great chance for Wigan - Palacios should have scored. The winger had time and space in the Boro box but lashed his shot wide of the target.
Kapo beats two Boro defenders on his way to goal but the Wigan midfielder is stopped by Wheater's great clearance.
The second half is underway and Wigan have again started brightly. They seem to be more confident in possession than the visitors.
The sides cancel each other out in an entertaining first half.
Zaki heads over from a Valencia cross.
Great save by Turnbull as Zaki pulls the trigger from 25 yards out.
Boro are just starting to get a foothold in this game after being second best for much of the half.
Cattermole's booked for a foul on Shawky.
An embarrassing moment for Heskey as he steps on the ball when through on goal.
Zaki is first into the ref's notebook after a late challenge on Shawky.
Good chance for Boro as Kirkland hesitates and Wheater glances a header across the face of goal.
Heskey races away after being released by a Valencia pass, but the Wigan striker was just offside.
Great work by Valencia to find Zaki but he blazed his shot wide - with Heskey waiting unmarked in the area.
Downing steps up to take the free kick but the ball goes harmlessly wide.
Cattermole is spoken to by the referee after appearing to elbow Alves. Free kick to Boro.
Zaki smashes a 35 yard free kick wide of the Boro goal.
Melchiot surges forward and hits an ambitious shot from 30 yards out, but the ball flies over the Boro goal.
Zaki applauds Heskey after the England forward hits a 70 yard cross-field pass to his strike partner
Boro are getting pinned back into their own half, as Wigan continue to attack down the flanks. Another good cross by Figueroa just evades the head of Zaki.
Wigan go close again. Valencia sent over a teasing cross but Zaki could only turn his shot into the side netting.
Best chance of the game so far and it was Palacios again. The winger raced onto a Heskey flick and drilled his shot just wide of the target.
Wheater and Riggott get in a tangle and Palacios almost broke through on goal but Turnbull was quick off his line to gather the ball.
Wigan have settled into the game quicker than the visitors. Palacios went on a jinking run but didn't have any support in the Boro box and Turnbull collects.
Riggott makes a late challenge on Zaki 40 yards from goal. Free kick to Wigan.
Bramble is forced to make a hurried clearance as Alves bears down on goal.
Referee Martin Atkinson gets the game underway to a huge roar from both sets of supporters.
The teams are out at the JJB with Boro looking to get their first points away from home this season. Wigan, meanwhile, will want to continue their impressive recent run. A win could see them move into the top six.
A win for Gareth Southgates side could see the Wearsiders leapfrog Wigan in tenth place-but Boro will have to do it without defender Robert Huth,who has an ankle injury.
Youngster Jonathan Grounds comes in at the back after being recalled from his loan spell at Norwich.
Former Middlesbrough midfielder Lee Cattermole starts for Wigan after recovering from a hamstring injury.The only other change sees Paul Scharner replace Emerson Boyce in defence for The Latics,who are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games
Jeremie Aliadiere hit the smash-and-grab winner at the JJB Stadium two minutes from time to end Boro's dismal run of four straight defeats. Stewart Downing set it up, flicking a header into his path, and Aliadiere steered it safely past Chris Kirkland as the Latics keeper came off his line. It had looked as though Wigan were set to stretch their unbeaten run to seven games with Boro keeper Ross Turnbull in top form. Six-goal Amr Zaki went close in the first half but Turnbull just got a hand to it. Then, ten minutes from time, the impressive Boro keeper did it again, smothering a shot from sub Jason Koumas before Wigan were sunk by that late strike. Wigan made one change with defender Emmerson Boyce a late withdrawal because of a neck injury. Paul Scharner was restored to the starting line-up with fit-again Ryan Taylor filling the vacancy on the bench, Middlesbrough were missing Robert Huth and Andrew Taylor so Jonathan Grounds - recalled from loan at Norwich - and Chris Riggott were drafted in. The first chance went Wigan's way but Wilson Palacios fired across the face of goal from Emile Heskey's flick-on. Boro had another close shave from an Antonio Valencia free-kick to the back post. It was touched on by Scharner but Zaki had to stretch to reach it and hit the side-netting. At the other end, Mido put a header over the bar from Downing's cross but Wigan's confidence was illustrated when Valencia let fly from 30 yards and Zaki cracked in a long-range free-kick. The Latics survived an anxious moment when Lee Cattermole - facing his old club - gave away a free-kick just outside the box but Downing failed to hit the target. Zaki hit another wide and Heskey was foiled by an offside flag as Wigan kept up the pressure. But Boro threatened when Mido hammered in a deep cross and the unmarked David Wheater put the header over the bar. The Heskey-Zaki partnership almost broke the deadlock, the England striker - being watched by Fabio Capello - set up the Egypt star and his goalbound shot was turned past the post by Turnbull. Wigan had a great chance early in the second half when Valencia's shot was blocked and the ball rebounded to Palacios, but the Honduran could not come up with the finish to test Turnbull. French midfielder Didier Digard came off the bench and almost made an instant impact chasing a blocked shot from Aliadiere and forcing Kirkland into action at his left post. Downing hammered one over the bar but Turnbull was in commanding form, twice denying Palacios and then saving from Koumas. With time running out, Boro had a penalty appeal for handball against Scharner turned down but Aliadiere had the last word.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
Offsides
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