Wigan work hard for win

By Mark Townsend  

Wigan work hard for win

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Wigan sneaked into the third round of the Carling Cup after a late strike from substitute Jason Roberts gave them a 1-0 win over a plucky Bournemouth side.

Roberts came off the bench and grabbed the winner after 86 minutes when he pounced onto a flick-on from fellow substitute David Connolly and beat Gareth Stewart.

But it was a disappointing display by the Premiership new boys and they will be glad to progress in front of just 3,346 at The JJB Stadium.
 
The first half was a poor affair with neither team creating any clear-cut chances and The Latics struggled to find any fluency having made 11 changes to the side which drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough on Sunday.

The Cherries, who could only field four substitutes due to a lengthy injury list, began brightly but it was Sunday's goalscorer Henri Camara who had the first chance but he failed to get his shot away after 12 minutes.

Paul Jewell's side slowly came more into the game as the half progressed and an Alan Mahon corner was headed wide by Andreas Johansson from six yards out before Camara fired straight at Gareth Stewart.

The visitors went close after 51 minutes when James Coutts flicked a header just wide and seven minutes later Jewell threw on Roberts and Connolly in an attempt to break the deadlock.

Roberts combined with Camara to set up Australian debutant Josip Skoko but he could only head at Stewart and the striker should have scored when Shaun Cooper misplaced a pass but his shot went wide.

Camara then missed the target with a header and the formbook was almost upset after 76 minutes when David Wright headed Steven Foley's in-swinging cross against his own post.
 
Camara tested Stewart again before the goal finally came but there was still time for James Hayter to miss a last-gasp chance to equalise.