Bazza couldn’t make this game so here is my take on our day out to Wigan.

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By heck Wigan is a long way away. I left home just after ten o’clock and started the long drive up the M40 and M6. Traffic was pretty kind so I only got slowed up by three separate sections of 50mph average speed check road works. Well I say “works” but nobody was actually working on any of them so the only purpose they served was to annoy drivers. I still made the first 120 miles in 2 and a half hours but then took 45 minutes to travel the last mile. On arriving in Wigan I noticed that they have a sign that says “Home to super league rugby and premiership football”. Talk about tempting fate!!

The DW stadium is one of those identikit flat pack stadiums which reminded me a lot of the Madjeski in Reading. There is always plenty of parking and good facilities even for away fans but to me they lack a lot of the character of the traditional stadia. They did have the loudest pa system I’ve ever encountered at any sports ground which meant that the pre-kickoff singing of “Keep Right On” was less than successful. I was less impressed with the pre-match pie. I thought Wigan were supposed to have some of the best pies in the country but I personally prefer the ones at St Andrews (On the rare occasions that they haven’t run out by the time you get to the front of the queue!). It was a pretty big following for us but Wigan would have been disappointed with their attendance as I doubt there were more than 15000 there. I heard a few new songs and it was great to have a revival of “He’s got a pineapple on his head” aimed at Jason Scotland.

The match started pretty evenly but Wigan could have scored early on when Sharner, who was given too much space all afternoon, ran through the middle of our defence, rounded Joe Hart but then poked the ball wide. We didn’t seem to wake up until Rodallega caught Johnson in the face with a stray elbow which upset the Blues man rather a lot. Johnson thought it was deliberate but the ref thought otherwise and only produced a yellow. He should have been sent off just for wearing those silly white gloves that made him look like a magician. They created a few half chances before taking the lead just after the half hour make. Good work from Scotland set up N’Zogbia who hit a beauty into the top right hand corner of the goal. They could have added more but the half ended 1-0 with a Benitez snap shot being Blues’ only attacking moment. Chatting at half time we bemoaned our sides lack of pace and I suggested taking Larsson off who had been poor.

Blues must have had a good talking too at half time because they came out a totally different team. Jerome could have scored with a header just four minutes in as we started to control the game. Then on 60 minutes Blues were awarded a soft free kick and Larsson’s excellent delivery evaded everyone and ended up in the back of the net. Just five minutes later we went mad again as Bowyer’s long ball forward put Benitez in and his pace took him away from Bramble. The Wigan goalie managed to get a half stop on his finish and I thought that the shot had been saved before seeing it slowly bounce into the net. One fan got a little too over excited and joined in the celebration before escaping the stewards. I’m not sure what happened to him. Jerome had a decent chance but then it was super Seb time again. This one was in a perfect spot for him and he placed it brilliantly into the top corner, no flook this time. This led to an exodus of Wigan fans and a revival from their team. They did pull one back through Gomez although the free kick should never have been given as it clearly hit Johnson’s knee and not his hand. This made injury time a bit nervous but we held on for another three points. I got home just before nine after what had been a long but rewarding day.

The Blue Army marches on.