Wigan display may offer hope

FA Premiership/Reading 3 Wigan Athletic 2: An eighth consecutive defeat in the league for Wigan this may have been, and an unwelcome club record into the bargain, but there was enough in their performance to suggest the Latics' plummet towards the Championship may yet be arrestable.

Wigan gave the home defence a very early scare, Lee McCulloch shooting a foot wide after Denny Landzaat had made a nuisance of himself in the penalty area , when the Latics put the cat among the pigeons by going ahead. Emile Heskey ran on to McCulloch's long ball and from close to the edge of the area, thumped a volley inside Marcus Hahnemann's right-hand post.

Reading began to play at a different tempo, and Stephen Hunt fired an angled shot which Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland tipped past his far post. Wigan, boosted by their goal, were still posing a serious threat. Caleb Folan, on his debut, was showing no signs of being overawed, meeting Taylor's long throw with a volley that rattled the bar on its way over.

On the half-hour, Reading drew level. Nicky Shorey's free-kick was not cleared, Lita, from close to the byline, lifted the ball back over Kirkland, and with the goalkeeper out of position, Ivar Ingimarsson headed to the net.

Kirkland redeemed himself by saving Shane Long's close-range header, while at the other end, McCulloch's volley drew a good stop from Hahnemann.

After the break, both sides attacked with gusto, and Little and Folan had chances before Reading took the lead. Long, presented with a chance by Little's cross, connected with shoulder rather than head, but Kirkland's attempt to punch clear only sent the ball to the feet of Hunt, a few yards away. The winger side-footed it back to the far post and Long did not need asking again.

The loss of Heskey to what appeared to be injury did not help Wigan's cause. Jewell quickly made two further substitutions, but Reading hung on and with two minutes of normal time remaining Lita settled the result. In injury time Landzaat pulled one back.

READING: Hahnemann, Murty, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Shorey, Little, Sidwell, Harper, Hunt, Lita, Long (Kitson 80). Subs not used: Federici, Oster, De la Cruz, Pearce. Booked: Long.

WIGAN ATHLETIC: Kirkland, Taylor, Boyce, Unsworth (Jackson 69), Baines, Valencia, Landzaat, Skoko, Folan, Heskey (Kilbane 58), McCulloch (Johansson 65). Subs not used: Filan, Granqvist. Booked: Folan.

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).