Latics get an excellent point at Upton Park with a brilliant Scharner goal.
Wigan were twelve minutes away from grabbing a fourth consecutive victory when midfielder Paul Scharner produced a superb overhead kick from captain Mario Melchiot's throw in which was flicked on by Emile Heskey.
But the lead lasted just three minutes as the Hammers quickly equalised through Lee Bowyer, the midfielder converted from substitute Luis Boa Morte's pass from the right flank.
It was a very determined performance from Chris Hutchings' men and the point keeps Latics in third place in the Barclays Premier League, and it now means the club have made their best ever start to a Premiership season.
The Latics gaffer opted to remain unchanged for both the starting line-up and the substitutes bench, but Hutchings was forced to make a change late in the first half when Antonie Sibierski appeared to suffer a hamstring injury and he was replaced by Nigerian striker Juluis Aghahowa.
Latics were inches from taking the lead just before the end of the first half when Jason Koumas unleashed a twenty-five yard shot which had beaten West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green but struck the post.
Both Scharner and Koumas had also combined in a well worked move half way through the first half, which again was close to breaching the Hammers defence. The Austrian midfielder's pass found the Welshman, who knocked a ball past Hammers skipper Lucas Neill and it was Scharner who got on the end of it and he directed a header just wide of the post from six yards.
In the second half, substitute Aghahowa was put through by Luis Antonio Valencia and he fired just over the bar, whilst Scharner proved to be a danger to the opposition again as he drilled a long range shot wide of the target.
Aghahowa was denied his best chance yet of getting off the mark in the Premier League as Green pulled off a brilliant reaction save. Koumas' free-kick was flicked on by Scharner, and the striker saw his shot from close range was parried by Green. The ball fell for Melchiot, but the defender also missed as his header went marginally wide of the post.
Both Andreas Granqvist and Titus Bramble were impressively solid at the back although the hosts did pressurise at times.
The Hammers went closest first though, and Mark Noble's cross was perfect for Anton Ferdinand who leaped up, and saw his header fly just wide. Both Craig Bellamy and Bobby Zamora have also been caught offside as the Hammers attempted to utilise their pace up front, whilst defender George McCartney also saw his header go wide from close range.
In the second half, Mark Noble saw his free-kick initially blocked by Valencia, but his rebound shot from twenty yards flashed wide of the goal.
Although it was disappointing to lose the lead after such a short time, Latics are certainly making life tough for opposition, even on the road. This draw certainly helps as we now look towards another difficult away trip at Newcastle next weekend.
LATICS STARTING LINE-UP: Kirkland, Melchiot (c), Granqvist, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia (Brown 77), Scharner, Landzaat, Koumas, Heskey, Sibierski (Aghahowa 38).
LATICS SUBS: Pollitt, Hall, Folan.
BOOKED: Landzaat, Brown.
WEST HAM STARTING LINE-UP: Green, Neill (c), Ferdinand, Upson, McCartney, Dyer, Noble, Mullins (Bowyer 65), Etherington, Bellamy (Boa Morte 75), Zamora (Ashton 61).
WEST HAM SUBS: Walker, Spector.
BOOKED: Upson.
REFEREE: Andre Marriner
ATTENDANCE: 33,793
