Kevin Kilbane's looping header gave Latics the points in a fully deserved win over West Ham United at the JJB Stadium, the club's first victory at home against the Londoners!
The win lifts the side out of the bottom three and sees them climb to15th in the Barclays Premier League table.
The Irish international, who made his 50th league start for the club, peeled away from his marker as he got onto the end of a Ryan Taylor free-kick and the ball looped over Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green at the far post.
It was the only goal of an exciting match but in truth Latics should have been out of sight mid-way through the second half, as Antonio Valencia's superstrike bounced off both posts before rebounding into Green's arms, and Marcus Bent blazed over when clean through.
After an initally edgy start, Latics improved as the match progressed as Paul Scharner, Kevin Kilbane and Emmerson Boyce were impressive in defence whilst Mario Melchiot helped set up attacks from his right-back berth.
Taylor was deployed on the left wing, and his set pieces were a major threat to the Hammers. Three times the Scouser almost created a chance or got on the scoresheet himself before Latics went in ahead at half-time.
Taylor's free-kick on 23 minutes was headed over by Scharner at the far post, whilst another just missed the head of Boyce with six minutes before the break.
On the other flank was Antonio Valencia who had an outstanding match, particularly in the second half. The Ecuadorian couldn't have come closer to getting on the scoresheet himself in the 70th minute when he picked up the loose ball after West Ham failed to clear a corner and his strike smacked the inside of both posts as Green was left stranded.
Valencia also saw a shot palmed away for a corner after he impressingly rode a challenge from Matthew Upson, and as Latics searched for a second goal, his pin point cross was headed over by substitute Marcus Bent at the far post.
The on-loan Charlton striker replaced Emile Heskey shortly before the hour after the England striker picked up a knock, and he had a decent chance to wrap up the win in the final minutes. After a brilliant pass by Valencia had sliced through between two defenders, Bent latched onto the ball but with just Green standing between himself and the goal he blazed over.
Michael Brown also had a shot at the target ten minutes after the restart when he received the ball from the hard working Marlon King, and his shot was parried away by Green.
In the end, it was a thoroughly deserved win on a difficult pitch against in-form opposition.
The Hammers had started the brighter of the two teams as Fredrik Ljungberg's near post shot forced Chris Kirkland into a save after just four minutes. Both Carlton Cole and Craig Bellamy had shots fly over the bar but other than that Wigan's goalkeeper was relatively untroubled as the defence held firm.
LATICS: Kirkland; Melchiot (c), Boyce, Scharner, Kilbane; Valencia, Brown, Palacios, Taylor (Koumas 84); King (Sibierski 90), Heskey (Bent 57).
SUBS: Pollitt, Bramble, Koumas, Sibierski, Bent.
BOOKED: Taylor.
GOALS: Kilbane 45.
WEST HAM: Green; Neill (c), McCartney, Ferdinand, Upson; Etherington (Solano 48), Noble (Bowyer 73), Mullins, Ljungberg; Ashton, Cole (Bellamy 68).
SUBS: Wright, Bellamy, Solano, Spector, Bowyer.
BOOKED: Upson, Bowyer, Neill.
REFEREE: Martin Atkinson
ATTENDANCE: 20,525
