Tedium at the Reebok

By Oscar Wilde
February 6 2006

Thirteen years of not playing Bolton Wanderers is not good for Wigan Athletic supporters. They need to get it off their chest every season.

The bloke sat next to me very nearly had a coronary when we equalised, his expletives towards the Bolton fans reaching a crescendo as he turned, red, purple and then a quite interesting shade of blue-yellow. Personally I stopped hating Bolton a long time ago, but many in the away end were jerking around like they had 30,000 volts pumping through them when Johansson tapped in from 2 yards.

 

The first half was a dismal affair. Latics were camped inside their own half for long periods, Mellor up front on his own due to the striker shortage meant the midfield had to hold on to the ball rather than move it to the forwards.

 

Bolton looked to be heading for victory when Bruno N'Gotty's free-kick found its way through to Stelios who pounced on the turn on 66 minutes.

 

They continued to rely on long balls as an attacking threat, which is seriously bad news for England fans if Fat Sam is to be considered for the national job.

 

Despite referee Steve Bennett failing miserably to get the wall back a full ten yards, Reto Ziegler’s free kick whizzed around it with some venom. Jussi Jaaskelainen could only parry the ball into the path of the onrushing Johansson, and the Latics fans went mental.

 

In the dying seconds, Jimmy Bullard went through, and with the opportunity of searing his name into Wigan Athletic folklore forever, proceeded to spoon his shot so badly, his foot fell off.

 

Paul Jewell: "I have to give my team great credit. Because of our selection problems we played with five in midfield which doesn't really suit us.

"The goal woke us up. We were a lot more positive after they scored.

"We finished the game the stronger and put Bolton under a bit of pressure. We got the point because we showed character and worked hard."

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, N'Gotty, Ben Haim, Gardner, Fadiga (Hunt 23), Nolan, Jansen (Vaz Te 45), Nakata, Giannakopoulos, Davies (Borgetti 53).
Subs Not Used: Walker, Fojut.

Goals: Giannakopoulos 63.

Wigan: Pollitt, Chimbonda, Henchoz, De Zeeuw, Baines (Thompson 65), Teale, Kavanagh, Scharner, Ziegler, Bullard, Mellor (Johansson 65).
Subs Not Used: Walsh, Jackson, Francis.

Booked: Mellor, Chimbonda, Henchoz, Thompson.

Goals: Johansson 77.

Att: 25,854

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).