Ryan Taylor free kick lifts Wigan out of bottom three
It must have felt like déjà vu for Latics fans as they watched Ryan Taylor's free kick beat Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given from twenty yards for the only goal of the game. Alan Smith's foul on Michael Brown led referee Mike Dean to award the free-kick which the Liverpudlian emphatically scored from.
Taylor had scored the only goal of the game in last season's equivalent fixture at the JJB Stadium to earn Wigan a win back then.
The former Tranmere man almost doubled the lead six minutes later as his dipping 25 yard drive forced Given to parry the ball away for a corner, but it was an otherwise lacklustre match where Newcastle's defence frustrated Latics, although the visitors attacking performance must have equally frustrating for the travelling Toon Army as they barely forced Chris Kirkland into a save.
Emile Heskey still wasn't fit enough to play and so manager Steve Bruce called upon the services of Antonie Sibierski to partner Marcus Bent. Captain Mario Melchiot was also recalled after he completed his three match suspension.
There was a penalty claim for Latics after just 16 minutes as Sibierski appeared to have been felled in the area by Newcastle defender Steven Taylor, but referee Mike Dean was not convinced and waved play on.
But the rest of the action appeared to be in the final minutes as Latics had threatened to increase their advantage further. In the 83rd minute Given failed to control a long ball and it bounced into the air with Bent lurking, and the under pressure Newcastle goalkeeper cleared it over his own bar.
And with just two minutes left, substitute Julius Aghahowa, who had replaced Sibierski rifled his effort into the side netting.
Paul Scharner had chances in both the first and second half with long range drives, but both were relatively caught with ease, and Denny Landzaat saw his shot rise over the bar.
At the other end of the pitch, Titus Bramble cleared a shot off the line after a defensive error gave an opportunity to striker Mark Viduka, but it was an otherwise lacklustre performance from the Newcastle attack who failed to really test Kirkland.
However, the Magpies also frustrated Latics just as much with their defence which remained pretty solid throughout, although it could do nothing to stop Taylor's winning goal.
For their grit and determination, Latics deserved all three points and are now out of the relegation zone.
LATICS: Kirkland; Melchiot (c), Bramble, Scharner, Kilbane; Valencia, Landzaat, Brown, Taylor (Olembe 74); Bent, Sibierski (Aghahowa 70).
SUBS: Pollitt, Boyce, Skoko.
BOOKINGS: Brown
GOALS: Taylor 65
NEWCASTLE: Given; Beye, Taylor, Faye; N'Zogbia, Milner, Emre, Geremi (c), Duff; Smith, Viduka.
SUBS: Harper, Cacapa, Sanchez, Butt, Martins.
BOOKINGS: Taylor, Milner, Smith, Emre
GOALS: None
REFEREE: Martin Dean
