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RACH BASH!

Posted on: Tue 20 Oct 2009

Reserves come from behind to claim first win of season

WIGAN ATHLETIC RESERVES 2
Kupisz 39
Bouaouzan 71

HULL CITY RESERVES 1
Cairney 17
Bullard missed pen 26

Tuesday 20 October 2009, Robin Park Arena, Kick-off 7.00pm

Wigan Athletic reserves came from a goal down to defeat a Jimmy Bullard-inspired Hull City, keeping out a penalty from the former Latic along the way.

It seemed as though Bullard, who shone throughout his hour on the pitch, would settle the game mid-way through the first-half, bursting into the area and being fouled by Daniel Redmond to win a penalty.

PENALTY PAIN: Former Latics favourite denied goal by outstanding Lee Nicholls

The midfielder picked himself up to take the spot-kick but it was the excellent Lee Nicholls who came out the winner, palming the shot wide and keeping his team in the game.

It was without doubt the pivotal moment in the game, with Latics given the wake-up call they needed, after Bullard had carved out Tom Cairney's headed opener with a precise corner-kick.

The crisp passing and movement off the ball that has been becoming more prominent with each game had Hull on the back foot, and five minutes before the break Tomasz Kupisz made it count.

After exchanging passes with fellow countryman Tomasz Cywka, Kupisz found space on the left side of the area and drilled underneath the keeper to equalise.

And so Graham Barrow's men continued to build on the foundations set from the first-half, buoyed on by their goal.

Although Bullard's exit from the game allowed the likes of Jon Routledge and James McCarthy the freedom to express themselves and make an impact on the game, Latics looked to be the side that would go on and win the game.

And thanks to Dutchman Rachid Bouaouzan that's exactly what they did. The winger was the last part in a sublime move that cut right through the opposition and ended with Joe Holt weighing a perfect through ball into the left channel.

Bouaouzan still had plenty of work to do from here but his finish was calm and finally gave Barrow's men what they have deserved for some time, three points.

Latics: Nicholls; Mustoe, Langley, Amaya, Redmond; Routledge, McCarthy; Cywka, Holt, Bouaouzan; Kupisz
Subs: Williams, Meace, Breeze, Crane, Rugg

Hull: Oxley; Leonard, Featherstone, Mouyokolo, Hanley; Bullard (Ekra, 60), Cooper, Cairney, Atkinson; Garcia, Kendal (Cullen, 86)
Subs: Devitt, Ward