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Played
November 6, 2011 1:30 PM GMT
Molineux Stadium — Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Referee: L. Probert
Attendance: 23536
November 6, 2011 1:30 PM GMT
Molineux Stadium — Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Referee: L. Probert
Attendance: 23536
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| Wolves | 1.85 | 1.25 | 1.85 | 1.00 | 1.83 | 1.90 | 1.01 | 1.83 | 1.90 |
| Draw | 3.45 | 4.20 | 3.40 | 56.00 | 3.50 | 3.30 | 15.00 | 3.55 | 3.30 |
| Wigan | 4.30 | 12.00 | 4.20 | 81.00 | 4.50 | 4.10 | 50.00 | 4.95 | 4.00 |
Top of the Match
Ali Al Habsi
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic
Jamie O'Hara
Wolves
Wolves
Flop of the Match
Hugo Rodallega
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic
Hugo Rodallega
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Wolves 3-1 Wigan Athletic: O'Hara, Edwards & Ward strikes hand Mick McCarthy first win in nine league games
Latics condemned to the bottom of the Premier League table after another listless performance allowed the hosts to end an eight-game wait for top-flight victory
By Matt Monaghan at Molineux
Getty Images
Wolves ended their eight-game wait for a Premier League victory after they saw off fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic.
Goals from Jamie O'Hara, David Edwards and Stephen Ward vanquished the gutless Latics to heap more pressure on manager Roberto Martinez. The visitors looked several yards short of a team worthy of a place in the top flight and barely deserved to level moments before half-time through Ben Watson.
The result cemented their place at the foot of the table and launched Wolves into the heady heights of 13th place. Upon the final whistle, the boos from the "mindless idiots" previously singled out by boss Mick McCarthy were rightly absent after the Midlanders claimed three points for the first time since August.
McCarthy named an unchanged starting side from the team that fell to a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City last weekend. On the substitutes' bench, top scorer Steven Fletcher was available for the first time in a month due to a calf tear.
Opposite number Martinez was forced into replacing Gary Caldwell with Steve Gohouri after the skipper picked up a suspension in the 2-0 defeat to Fulham last time out. Winger Albert Crusat was dropped to the bench in place of centre forward Franco Di Santo.
Wolves burst quickest out of the traps for the early kick-off. In the third minute, Edwards beat the daydreaming Gohouri to a knock down and forced a corner from goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi's fingertips with a rasping shot from the edge of the box.
Moments later, Stephen Hunt rushed behind the Ivorian and rounded Al Habsi, but after being forced wide, his cross was cleared for a corner by Watson. A succession of corners followed, in which Wigan's stand-in skipper Antolin Alcaraz was fortunately ruled not to have handled a Roger Johnson header.
Wolves continued to set the tempo and Edwards again went close. He headed Hunt's centre narrowly wide in the 17th minute after Kevin Doyle had bounced off several non-existent Wigan challenges to play in his Irish colleague.
All this good work from Wolves was nearly ended with a self-induced mistake after a hospital pass from Johnson saw Karl Henry suffocated by Victor Moses 30 yards from goal. Luckily for the hosts, the Nigerian dallied and the eventual chance for Di Santo was cut out.
Wolves had conceded 16 goals in their previous seven league fixtures and defensive frailties again proved to be a problem for the hosts in their next spell of possession when Adlene Guedioura was played into trouble by a poor pass from left-back Ward. Again, Wigan failed to take advantage after Mohamed Diame's tackle and a through-ball was wasted by a Hugo Rodallega shot that lacked conviction.
The Colombian then missed a golden opportunity in the 31st minute after Di Santo robbed Richard Stearman on the right. His inch-perfect long ball looped over Christophe Berra's head but Rodallega casually sidefooted wide with Wayne Hennessey's net at his mercy.
Boss Martinez had even more cause to put his head in his hands after the subsequent goal kick led O'Hara to punish Rodallega's folly. The clearance up the pitch was nodded into Doyle's path by Guedioura and his smart flick over Alcaraz's head and cross was blasted home by the on-rushing midfielder.
Wigan had rarely threatened but their right flank had looked the most likely to reap reward. Full-back Emmerson Boyce drove on from deep to produce the penalty slotted home by Watson on the second attempt in the 42nd minute.
The ex-Crystal Palace defender's charge into the box was ended by a block from Hunt that left referee Lee Probert with no choice but to point to the spot. Watson's poor shot was stopped easily by Hennessey, however, he then pushed the ball to the grateful midfielder to complete the job.
Wolves were unlucky to fall behind just before the break but wasted little time in getting back on top in the second half.
Substitute Matt Jarvis drew out Boyce and then played in Henry. The midfield hatchet-man showed surprising grace to dance to the byline and cut back to Hunt.
The Irishman's shot from point blank range was saved superbly by Al Habsi, but even better was to come, as he somehow clawed away O'Hara's follow-up when prone on the ground.
Unluckily for the goalkeeper, third time was the trick for Wolves as Edwards unleashed an unstoppable half-volley into the net as the stationery Wigan defence watched on.
The Latics seemed to be stuck in the dressing room such was the lack of desire evident in the second half. Motionless defending was again to blame in the 66th minute when Ward struck home the third in similar circumstances.
Jarvis was the creator this time as he danced inside Boyce to find Edwards. Edwards' scuffed effort was deflected into O'Hara's path and his shot was saved brilliantly by Al Habsi again.
Cruelly, history repeated itself and the rebound from Ward was deflected home via-Alcaraz.
The presence of a two-goal buffer saw Wolves sit back and allow the toothless visitors possession. Replacement Crusat was denied a stunning introduction in the 71st minute after his inswinging shot was pushed to safety by Hennessey.
The Wales international replicated the form shown in the first half against Manchester City to dive across his goal and stop Gohouri's header from a corner in the 82nd minute.
The best chance was blasted wide by Diame in the 87th minute after Di Santo's deflected effort left the Frenchman with time and space in the area which he wasted.
Before the match, Wigan owner Dave Whelan had finally commented that his "friend" Martinez's job could be under threat. Any more results like this, and the sportswear tycoon could be forced into a painful parting of the ways.
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The result cemented their place at the foot of the table and launched Wolves into the heady heights of 13th place. Upon the final whistle, the boos from the "mindless idiots" previously singled out by boss Mick McCarthy were rightly absent after the Midlanders claimed three points for the first time since August.
McCarthy named an unchanged starting side from the team that fell to a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City last weekend. On the substitutes' bench, top scorer Steven Fletcher was available for the first time in a month due to a calf tear.
Opposite number Martinez was forced into replacing Gary Caldwell with Steve Gohouri after the skipper picked up a suspension in the 2-0 defeat to Fulham last time out. Winger Albert Crusat was dropped to the bench in place of centre forward Franco Di Santo.
Wolves burst quickest out of the traps for the early kick-off. In the third minute, Edwards beat the daydreaming Gohouri to a knock down and forced a corner from goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi's fingertips with a rasping shot from the edge of the box.
Moments later, Stephen Hunt rushed behind the Ivorian and rounded Al Habsi, but after being forced wide, his cross was cleared for a corner by Watson. A succession of corners followed, in which Wigan's stand-in skipper Antolin Alcaraz was fortunately ruled not to have handled a Roger Johnson header.
Wolves continued to set the tempo and Edwards again went close. He headed Hunt's centre narrowly wide in the 17th minute after Kevin Doyle had bounced off several non-existent Wigan challenges to play in his Irish colleague.
All this good work from Wolves was nearly ended with a self-induced mistake after a hospital pass from Johnson saw Karl Henry suffocated by Victor Moses 30 yards from goal. Luckily for the hosts, the Nigerian dallied and the eventual chance for Di Santo was cut out.
Wolves had conceded 16 goals in their previous seven league fixtures and defensive frailties again proved to be a problem for the hosts in their next spell of possession when Adlene Guedioura was played into trouble by a poor pass from left-back Ward. Again, Wigan failed to take advantage after Mohamed Diame's tackle and a through-ball was wasted by a Hugo Rodallega shot that lacked conviction.
The Colombian then missed a golden opportunity in the 31st minute after Di Santo robbed Richard Stearman on the right. His inch-perfect long ball looped over Christophe Berra's head but Rodallega casually sidefooted wide with Wayne Hennessey's net at his mercy.
Boss Martinez had even more cause to put his head in his hands after the subsequent goal kick led O'Hara to punish Rodallega's folly. The clearance up the pitch was nodded into Doyle's path by Guedioura and his smart flick over Alcaraz's head and cross was blasted home by the on-rushing midfielder.
Wigan had rarely threatened but their right flank had looked the most likely to reap reward. Full-back Emmerson Boyce drove on from deep to produce the penalty slotted home by Watson on the second attempt in the 42nd minute.
The ex-Crystal Palace defender's charge into the box was ended by a block from Hunt that left referee Lee Probert with no choice but to point to the spot. Watson's poor shot was stopped easily by Hennessey, however, he then pushed the ball to the grateful midfielder to complete the job.
Wolves were unlucky to fall behind just before the break but wasted little time in getting back on top in the second half.
Substitute Matt Jarvis drew out Boyce and then played in Henry. The midfield hatchet-man showed surprising grace to dance to the byline and cut back to Hunt.
The Irishman's shot from point blank range was saved superbly by Al Habsi, but even better was to come, as he somehow clawed away O'Hara's follow-up when prone on the ground.
Unluckily for the goalkeeper, third time was the trick for Wolves as Edwards unleashed an unstoppable half-volley into the net as the stationery Wigan defence watched on.
The Latics seemed to be stuck in the dressing room such was the lack of desire evident in the second half. Motionless defending was again to blame in the 66th minute when Ward struck home the third in similar circumstances.
Jarvis was the creator this time as he danced inside Boyce to find Edwards. Edwards' scuffed effort was deflected into O'Hara's path and his shot was saved brilliantly by Al Habsi again.
Cruelly, history repeated itself and the rebound from Ward was deflected home via-Alcaraz.
The presence of a two-goal buffer saw Wolves sit back and allow the toothless visitors possession. Replacement Crusat was denied a stunning introduction in the 71st minute after his inswinging shot was pushed to safety by Hennessey.
The Wales international replicated the form shown in the first half against Manchester City to dive across his goal and stop Gohouri's header from a corner in the 82nd minute.
The best chance was blasted wide by Diame in the 87th minute after Di Santo's deflected effort left the Frenchman with time and space in the area which he wasted.
Before the match, Wigan owner Dave Whelan had finally commented that his "friend" Martinez's job could be under threat. Any more results like this, and the sportswear tycoon could be forced into a painful parting of the ways.
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Substitution IN
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Goal.com Rating
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Top & Flop Global Ranking- Fans' Man of the Match
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Results
Times In GMT
Match News
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