The match started off with Middlesbrough really showing that when they want to they can play some very good football.

Tuncay Sanli had three shots in the opening encounters two of which shaved a coat of paint off the upright.

Jeremie Aliadiere though provided the opening goal, shooting past Kirkland, who should have done a lot better, at the near post.

Latics started the game off with attack in mind; Steve Bruce elected to play Heskey, Bent and new signing Marlon King.

But the three strikers found it very hard going, and after the goal the game turned very stale. We were by far the more outgoing team, but Boro shut up shop and our strikers couldn't find that clinical touch.

Emile Heskey headed wide when he really should have hit the target and the teams went in with Wigan playing the better football but with nothing to show for it.

The second half saw a reverse of the first as Latics took the game to the Teesiders. Heskey headed wide from a corner and the introduction of Jason Koumas, on for King, caused the home team even more problems.

A brilliant Mark Schwarzer save denied Heskey a deserved equaliser. Wigan pressed on but a resilient Boro defence found shots from Heskey, Koumas and Bent deflecting out for corners.

The crowd of just short of 23,000 were very relieved as the final whistle came as a fair result would probably have been the draw.

Report by Jason Taylor www.cockneylatic.co.uk