Source: Telegraph
Wigan shut out frustrated Middlesbrough
Never mind wondering where their next win is coming from, Middlesbrough fans can't even see a league goal on the horizon. [LNB]Yet another stalemate means Gareth Southgate's side have created an unenviable club record, having never before gone so long - 14 matches - without a Premier League victory. [LNB]Their last maximum points haul was at Villa Park on Nov 9 but strong powers of recollection are also required to remember their last goal which arrived six weeks ago in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland. [LNB]In front of their lowest league crowd this season, Boro's attack was nullified by a defence in which Titus Bramble was outstanding, which meant that in 495 minutes of Premier League toil, Southgate's charges have failed to score and have just one goal to their credit in nine outings. [LNB]Boro fans booed their relegation-threatened side on the final whistle but earlier Boro old boy Lee Cattermole incurred their wrath after a full-blooded challenge led Didier Digard needing an oxygen mask as he was stretchered off and hospitalised with a thigh injury. [LNB]Wigan manager Steve Bruce, who saw Hugo Rodallega waste the game's best opening, defended Cattermole, stating: "He's a tough-tackling midfielder and it was perfectly fair; it was strong but he didn't want to deliberately hurt anyone. [LNB]"He epitomises the team. The longer it went on to more comfortable we became. That's three nil-nils on the trot - we're after Edwin van der Sar's record."[LNB]Bruce played down as "handbags" a touchline spat with Boro coach Steve Agnew following Digard's departure. "I'll probably see myself on TV and think 'what a pratt'."[LNB]Southgate added: "It was frustrating that we couldn;t break them down. We were bright in the first half. But Wigan did a very good job. Sometimes you they have come to keep it solid and stop us being creative. [LNB]"We didn't have that spark going forward. The only spell that disappointed me was the last 20 when we were a bit fearful. We needed to be a bit braver and grab the bull by the horns. We had attacks but not sustained and controlled ones. It was up to us to break them down but we didn't have answers. It's a missed opportunity." [LNB]
