After Boro wiped out Wigan's two goal advantage, debutant Neil Mellor scored a late winner in stoppage time to claim our first win in four league games.

Striker Neil Mellor and midfielder David Thompson made their debuts on Teesside, with the latter having made his debut for previous clubs on two previous occasions, for Swindon and Coventry.

They both followed the trend set by David Connolly and Paul Scharner earlier this season by scoring on their debuts.

With both Arjan De Zeeuw and Matt Jackson absent, the captain's armband was given to Jason Roberts for the first time.

Middlesbrough were handed a major boost as both skipper Gareth Southgate and Stewart Downing returned from injury.

Both sides were desperate for a win. Latics had lost the last three league games, although the situation was worse for Boro who were sitting one place above the relegation zone prior to kick-off. Steve McClaren's had not won since mid-November.

Latics couldn't have had a better start when the captain Jason ROBERTS, scored in just the second minute, and it was a move orchestrated by both debutants.

David Thompson's long ball was flicked on by Mellor, and Roberts used his pace to outrun the back-pedalling Boro defence to direct the ball past Brad Jones for his 12th goal of the season.

Boro almost responded immediately when Pollitt was forced to block the ball with his knee in the five minutes when Downing's cross from the left was headed downwards by Emanuel Pogatetz.

The Teessiders looked nervous and they lost possession on numerous occasions in the opening period which must have worried the home fans.

In the 17th minute Roberts threatened to double his tally on two occasions. He latched onto a long ball and turned past Southgate before firing a low shot, but it was straight at Brad Jones.

And moments later he hit Mellor's lay off with a first time shot, but the advancing Jones did well to block the shot from close range.

In the 28th minute, Teale's cross from the right flank beat Pogatetz and David THOMPSON beat defender Matthew Bates to head the ball past Jones for Wigan's second goal of the afternoon.

Boro unbelievably missed on open goal four minutes later when Stewart Downing's cross allowed Yakubu to break the offside trap. Pollitt advanced from his goal, and the Nigerian striker lobbed the Latics 'keeper, but the ball bounced the wrong side of the post.

It has proved to be a comfortable first half for Latics, and the two goal advantage at half-time is a fair reflection.

Half-Time: Middlesbrough 0 - 2 Latics

The home side were poor in the first half, but they certainly made up for that by stepping up a couple of gears as they put Latics under pressure in the second half.

Middlesbrough halved the deficit ten minutes after the restart. Stewart Downing's corner found substitute HASSELBAINK, and the Dutchman nipped in front of Henchoz to head the ball past Pollitt at the near post from six yards.

The home side certainly looked to have a lot more urgency about them in the second half.

Paul Scharner earned himself a booking in the 64th minute when he clashed into Ray Parlour as he fought for possession.

Boro's persistence paid off again a minute later as YAKUBU bundled the ball in from a Downing corner to level the scores against a shell shocked Latics.

Manager Paul Jewell will be disappointed that Latics conceded from more set pieces, as has often happened recently in the cup ties against Leeds United.

Ray Parlour was at end of a clash again to earn a Latics player another booking in the 73rd minute, this time it was David Thompson who had his name written into the referee's book.

With just ten minutes to go, it wasn't looking likely that Latics would score again as Boro threatened, although Latics did get close with a great chance with nine minutes to go.

Gareth Southgate fouled Jason Roberts as the striker tried to turn past him and conceded the free kick. Thompson's free kick was heading for the far post but Ugo Ehiogu beat Chimbonda to the ball and headed it out for a corner.

But Latics sensationally stole a late, late winner in stoppage for our first win in four league games.

Jimmy Bullard's corner was only half cleared by Ehiogu. Bullard crossed the ball back into the penalty box from the right wing, where Jason Roberts flicked it to Neil MELLOR who poked the ball into the roof of the net from close range!

Despite dominating the first half against a poor Boro performance, Latics can perhaps count themselves lucky not to have dropped any points after this win. In a similar situation to the Manchester City game on Boxing Day, Latics nearly threw away an opportunity to win the game and boss Paul Jewell will be asking his players to try and kill off games in this scenario in the future.

Full-Time: Latics Middlesbrough 2 - 3 Latics

Latics Starting Line-Up: Pollitt, Chimbonda, Henchoz, Kavanagh, Scharner, Teale, Bullard, Baines, Thompson (Johansson 90), Roberts ©, Mellor.

Unused Substitutes: Filan, Jackson, Francis, Skoko.

Middlesbrough Starting Line-Up: Jones, Riggott (Ehiogu 27), Southgate ©, Pogatetz, Parlour, Downing, Yakubu, Parnaby, Bates (Bates 31), Viduka (Hasselbaink 46), Cattermole.

Unused Substitutes: Schwarzer, Doriva.

Referee: Andre Marriner