Newcastle certainly put us on the back foot in the first half, but for all their possession and attacks, they couldn’t hit a barn door.

Steve McClaren was in the crowd watching this one and must have been cacking himself at what he saw. Owen squandered chance after chance and whilst Heskey looked the better of the strikers in this match.

Maybe it was him he should have been watching?? Along with a keeper who is definitely playing better than all three of his squad choices.

Although the pressure was definitely heading the way of Kirkland’s goal, some great goalkeeping and defending kept the score sheet at 0-0. Kilbane received a yellow just before half time for a late challenge.

The second half started off with the ball being hoofed to Alan Smith (Sam Allerdyce – Hoof. Never!!), to which Kilbane went in for the header. The referee blew for a free kick, Kilbane tracked back to defend it, only to look up at a red card.

If players are to be booked for gong in to 50/50 challenges then the game is going to be unplayable soon. No-body on the pitch, including the Toon players, could believe the decision.

This of course put the pressure on even more, and Wigan held out valiantly until 3 minutes from time when Michael Owen decided that he would go in for a header with his head down and his eyes firmly shut and hope. Guess what, the ball ended up in the back of the net.

Boyce just couldn’t get back quick enough to block Martins cross, after a very impressive Titus Bramble could only clear to the half way line.

All in all, Newcastle still won’t be winning anything this season, again. But Latics will come away knowing that they could have got something from it if they had been given the rub of the green. What is it about SJP???

By Jason Taylor (www.cockneylatic.co.uk)