Source: Daily_Mail
Wigan 0 Portsmouth 0: Lowly Latics fail to see of patched-up Pompey
[LNB]If Wigan follow Portsmouth out ofthe Premier League next month, theywill look back on the night they failedto beat a patched-up team ofreplacements and young debutantsplaying for a team already relegated. [LNB]For all Pompey's commendableresilience, it is still possible theycould face a Premier Leagueinvestigation after manager AvramGrant put out a weakened teamshowing eight changes. [LNB]Grant will argue that many of hissenior players were injured or simplyexhausted having played through 120minutes to beat Tottenham afterextra-time in the FA Cup semi-finalthree days earlier, and can point tothe fact that he was only able toname four substitutes instead of theusual seven. [LNB]Stick your right boot in: Michael Brown battles with Rodallega [LNB]But Pompey still have to play Boltonand Wolves in their remaining fourgames, and both clubs would bejustified in asking how strong a sideGrant will put out against them.Wolves have little cause forcomplaint, having picked up a £25,000suspended fine for making 10 changesat Manchester United. [LNB]Now Pompey may face questionsfrom Premier League chiefs who willnot have forgotten Grant's threat tofield weakened teams last monthafter Portsmouth were doomed torelegation by a nine-point deductionfor going into administration. [LNB]That was confirmed on Saturday, 24hours before Pompey shocked Spursto reach the FA Cup Final. [LNB]They willappeal to the FA this week for specialdispensation to play in the EuropaLeague next season, but the latestcontroversy in what has been a soap opera of season on the Southcoast is unlikely to weigh in theirfavour. [LNB]Just three of the side thatstarted at Wembley lined up, with20-year-olds Joel Ward andMathew Ritchie making theirLeague debuts.[LNB]Burst: Mohamed Diame powers past Tommy Smith[LNB] Out went DavidJames, Steve Finnan, AaronMokoena, Hayden Mullins, KevinPrince-Boateng, Aruna Dindane,while Frederic Piquionne andHassan Yebda were named on ahalf-empty bench that includedkids Marlon Pack recalled froma loan spell at Dagenham andRedbridge and Lenny Sowah. [LNB]The only surprise was that Wigancould not find a way past theirweakened opponents.James McCarthy combined withCharles N'Zogbia and MohamedDiame and tested Jamie Ashdownwith a fierce drive. [LNB]Dejected: Jason Scotland misses a chance[LNB]Jason Scotland should also havedone better than volley straight atAshdown before his left-foot effortwas well blocked. [LNB]Michael Brown was fortunate toescape punishment after Pompey'scombative midfielder, perhapsexpecting a more robustchallenge from N'Zogbia, followedthrough with a boot that caughtthe Frenchman under the chin. [LNB]Ritchie gave Wigan their first scarewhen he headed narrowly wide,and Tommy Smith forced ChrisKirkland into his first save after 40minutes with a. But the home sidefinished the half strongly and afterPaul Scharner's close-range effortwas ruled out for offside, HugoRodallega came close. [LNB]Wigan's frustration boiled over asthey headed down the tunnel athalf-time with Kirkland andTitus Bramble having to step inand separate Scharner andMcCarthy. [LNB]Scharner was later replaced byMarcelo Moreno and McCarthywasted another chance by then,side-footing over when MaynorFigueroa's found him unmarked.With Arsenal and Chelsea still toplay, Wigan know how costly thesetwo dropped points could be[LNB]WIGAN (4-5-1): Kirkland 6; Melchiot 6,Bramble, 6 Gohouri 6, Figueroa 6; N'Zogbia7, Diame 6, Scharner 6 (Moreno 56min),McCarthy 5, Rodallega 6; Scotland 5 (Moses88). Booked: Bramble. [LNB]PORTSMOUTH (4-5-1): Ashdown 8; VandenBorre 6, Wilson 6, Rocha 6 (Sowah 46, 6),Ward 7; Smith 6, Diop 5, Brown 5, Basinas 6,Ritchie 5; Utaka 6. Booked: [LNB]Man of the match: Jamie Ashdown.[LNB]Referee: Mike Dean.[LNB] [LNB] PREMIER LEAGUE LIVE: Follow all the action from Tottenham v Arsenal, Aston Villa v Everton and Wigan v Portsmouth - as it happensWembley chiefs to hold crisis talks with experts to solve pitch fiasco West Ham join Wolves and Newcastle in hunt for £5m-rated O'Hara Martinez stands firm after accusing referee Attwell of lying at Man City [LNB] Explore more:People:Hayden Mullins, James McCarthy, Tommy Smith, Mike Dean, Steve Finnan, Jamie AshdownPlaces:Scotland
