The Great Escape - Over

Wigan 3 West Ham 2

The first half was all about Demba Ba at one end of the pitch and Robert Green at the other. Wigan dominated the possession and had numerous attempts on goal but thanks to Green and Ba West Ham went into the break two goals to the good.

Green made his first good save inside a minute, diving to stop a deflected shot. Any West Ham nerves from Wigan's early pressure were calmed a little in the 12th minute after Ba headed home a Hitzlsperger cross from 7 yards.

Those nerves were calmed even further in the 25th minute when Ba made it 2-0. A Hitzlsperger freekick from deep was headed back across the six yard box by Tomkins at the back post. The ball may have been going in but Ba made certain by heading home from a yard out.

At the other end Green was forced into a number of good saves. He saved from a Rodallega overhead kick from just inside the area, from a Diame shot from 6 yards and from a Rodallega header from 4 yards.

So with Birmingham losing at home by one goal West Ham went into the half-time break with their Premier League survival still showing a glimmer of hope.


Three minutes into the second half Birmingham went two goals down to Fulham. However in the 56th minute with things looking rosy for West Ham Tomkins gave a freekick away 20 yards out and dead centre. N'Zogbia stepped up and fired the freekick home to give Wigan a foothold in the game.

With Wigan now dominating the game Grant replaced Spector with Parker. In the 66th minute Ba was clean through but from 12 yards a weak shot was saved by Al Habsi. Two minutes later Hines lost the ball in the Wigan half Wigan broke and Sammon scored from 10 yards.

After that both sides had good chances to get the winner. In the 80th minute Moses shot into the side-netting from 6 yards. In the 83rd minute Hines had two great chances to get the winner but both his shots from within the area were blocked. Almost dead on 90 minutes Watson shot from 12 yards, beat Green, only to see the ball bounce back into Green's arms.

In the 91st minute Parker has a good chance from 12 yards out but shot tamely at Al Habsi. A minute later Cole had a great chance from 2 yards out but managed to fluff the chance. Then with seconds left N'Zogbia ghosted in from the right wing and beat Green with a shot across the area from 15 yards.


There was lots to question about Grant's tactics today. Starting with Parker, Upson and Cole on the bench seemed a questionable move. However playing the young and inexperienced Spence at right-back with Hines in front of him seemed a recipe for disaster.

After throwing away a 2-0 lead in the end it is hard not to agree with the plane that flew over the ground bearing the legend 'Avram Grant - Millwall Legend'.