WIGAN ATHLETIC..............0

BLACKBURN ROVERS......3
Heskey OG 36, Derbyshire 57, McCarthy 75 pen.

An unfortunate Emile Heskey own goal, and a Benni McCarthy penalty sandwiched a first ever goal by 20-year old Matt Derbyshire to make an unhappy start to 2007 for Paul Jewell's men.

Latics fell behind in the first half in this scrappy Lancashire derby after 36 minutes on the clock. Leighton Baines fouled Morten Gamst Pedersen to concede a free kick and the Norwegian sent his left-footed set piece into the penalty area but it was the unfortunate head of Heskey who got the last touch from a Zurab Khizanishvili header as the ball was diverted past a helpless Chris Kirkland.

Rovers doubled their lead in the 57th minute with a relatively easy chance for half-time substitute Matt Derbyshire, for his first ever career goal. The 20-year old, who has never made a league start, easily slotted the ball past Kirkland after Pedersen headed the ball back into the box from Lucas Neill's cross.

Things just got worse for Latics as Fitz Hall was adjudged to have handled a McCarthy shot in the penalty area with fifteen minutes remaining. Referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot and McCarthy wasted no time in slamming the ball home from the spot, and sending Kirkland the wrong way.

The scoreline is was harsh on Latics, as neither team played to their full potential, and Jewell's men were without three key players in the form of Henri Camara, Paul Scharner and the suspended Lee McCulloch. However, this result means that Wigan's league position is looking a little precarious at the moment.

However, Latics started the brighter of the two and applied the early pressure in first five mins, and the lively David Cotterill picked up a rebound from a Josip Skoko corner and drove it over the bar.

The former Bristol City star was certainly making life hard for Rovers skipper Lucas Neill, and the Australian was forced to hack down the 19-year old as he consistently made his mazy runs down the right flank. However, Clattenburg didn't hesitate to book the Rovers defender just before half-an-hours play.

Skoko had a brilliant chance after 25 minutes when after receiving the ball from Kevin Kilbane's cross, the Australian sent a perfectly executed volley straight at goalkeeper Brad Friedel, but it was easy for the American to parry the ball away to safety.

Captain Arjan De Zeeuw kept the score goalless half way through the first period when he blocked a Shabani Nonda shot after McCarthy did all the hard work. The South African striker easily glided past two of his markers before releasing Nonda inside the penalty box, but as he was about to pull the trigger, Wigan's captain did well to nullify the threat.

After going a goal down at half-time, Latics came out more determined at the beginning of the second half, with Heskey looking keen to make amends for his unlucky own goal.

The Latics striker forced his way into the penalty before his teasing cross was cleared by former Wigan defender Stephane Henchoz. Kilbane took the resulting corner, and Heskey was unfortunate to see his header cleared off the line by the Rovers defence.

Kilbane's corners were proving to be a threat to Mark Hughes' men, as almost proven by Emmerson Boyce who headed just over the bar from six yards after 64 minutes.

However, once Rovers increased their advantage to three goals, it was impossible for Latics to come back and win as an in-form Rovers took their foot off the gas. The hectic Christmas schedule seems to have took its toll on a small squad with injuries to important players, and no doubt Paul Jewell will be glad that he can now use freshen things up and use both of his Scandinavian loan signings in our FA Cup trip to Portsmouth this weekend.

Latics: Kirkland; Boyce, Hall, De Zeeuw (c), Baines; Cotterill, Landzaat, Skoko (Wright 46), Kilbane; Johnasson, Heskey.

Unused Subs: Pollitt, Jackson, Cywka, Teale.

Blackburn: Friedal; Neill (c), Henchoz (Todd 72), Khizanishvili, Mokoena; Bentley, Savage, Emerton, Pedersen; McCarthy (Gallagher 77), Nonda (Derbyshire 46).

Unused Subs: Brown, Tugay.

Booked: Neill, Mokoena, Khizanishvili, Bentley.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Attendance: 14,864