Wigan Athletic 0-0 Stoke City

   

Tony Pulis’ men this afternoon made it seven points from a possible nine with a goalless draw in a dreary encounter at the JJB Stadium. The match coupled the team with the worst home record and the club with the worst away record so few would have expected fireworks in the lunchtime kick-off, and those who did would have been about as wrong than Arsene Wenger’saverage post-match comments . That being said, both sides had chances, Wigan having the vast majority, but a steely defensive performance by the Potters, thanks in no small part to an excellent display by Thomas Sorensen in the Stoke goal, allowed Pulis’ men to head home with an important point and only the second away in the Premier league.

                               

                                                      Sorensen was the hero for Stoke

   Pulis unsurprisingly opted for an unchanged line-up following last week’s fine win over Arsenal, Steve Bruce selecting the fit again Mario Melchiot in his backline to face the on form Fuller and Sidibe who lined up for Stoke in a bizarre combination of yellow shirts red shorts and red shots, as neither the Potters’ home nor away kits were deemed suitable to avoid a kit clash. The first chance of the match fell to the visitors just two minutes in, Salif Diao failing to find the target with a long range effort that was to be about as good as it got offensively for Stoke in the first half.

  Wigan soon began to create chances though, Wilson Palacios striking wide twice in the first fifteen minutes, first after some neat interplay with Wigan star Amr Zakiandthen following a goalmouth scramble.

  Mamady Sidibe, who would later go off injured did force Chris Kirkland in the Wigan goal into a meaningful save later in the half, the England international denying the Malian with his legs, the whistle had already gone though, the often finickity Mike Riley penalising Sidibe for a foul on his marker.

  Zaki then tried his luck from range in first half injury time but he was unable to trouble the Dane Sorensen with his tame effort. Half time came with Wigan shading it in terms of goal attempts and possession, a precursor to the pressure they were to enjoy in the second half.

  Just two minutes into the second half, Sidibe was forced off with an ankle injury, to be replaced by Dave Kitson, who it is fair to say has failed to win the hearts of the Potter’s faithful following his £5.5 million move from Reading in July. His performance today will have done little to earn him any adulation either.

  Stoke’s only attempt on target then came, Ryan Shawcross meeting Seyi Olofinjana’s cross with his head, but guiding guiding the ball straight to the hands of Kirkland. The young centre-back still seeks his first Premier League goal after eight in the Championship last term. Wigan promptly counter-attacked, Emile Heskey coming close to giving the Latics the lead, the striker who reached 100 league goals last week heading inches wide.

  Wigan’s attacking pressure began to mount but with few chances being created despite their clear territorial advantage. Stoke favourite Fuller and Melchiot clashed in the 60thminute, both receiving cautions folowing a firm aerial challenge. The booking was Fuller’s fourth of the season, and he will have to be careful next week when Stoke visit Old Trafford if he is not to be suspended. There is something to be said for him receiving another yellow card next week however, as he is likely to miss the home match against West Brom the week after with international commitments, so it may make sense to be suspended for a match he may well miss anyway.

  Shortly after Zaki had a golden opportunity to show his finishing prowess and give Wigan the lead, but the Egyptian was able to do neither, twice heading over in the space of a minute to the relief of the travelling Stoke support.

  With fifteen minutes left on the clock, Sorensen was the hero, making a sublime double save from first Wilson Palacios and then Titus Bramble to keep the scoreline level. The ‘keeper has showed recently his class and is looking a fine acquisition for a free transfer. Pulis moved quickly to steady the ship, making two substitutions, replacing Amdy Faye with Richard Cresswell and Olofinjana with Glenn Whelan, inside the last five minutes.

  Wigan pushed further forward in search of a winner, with Melchiot at the heart of the closing passages of play. The Dutchman was brought down by Cresswell, a challenge that earned him a booking before firing a shot wide and having his goal-bound effort cleared off the line by Shawcross.

  The Potters were able to hold on for a hard fought draw that definitely seems like one point gained rather than two dropped. The result momentarily lifted Stoke into ninth position, the first time the club have reached the top half of the Premier League, but other results this afternoon mean Pulis’ side currently lie eleventh in the table, a position that all Stoke fans would be delighted to see come May.

  The Potters face League Two Rotherham in the League Cup on Tuesday, and hopefully the good form will continue into that game, which with all respect to the visitors, should provide a home win.

 

Andy Griffin tussles with Wigan’s Jason Koumas                    Salif Diao fights for the ball

Stoke side:

                                 Sorensen

Griffin  Shawcross  Abdoulaye Faye  Higginbotham

           Olofinjana  Diao  Olofinjana  Delap

                            Sidibe  Fuller

Substitutions:  Kitson for Sidibe(46), Cresswellfor Amdy Faye(85), Whelan for Olofinjana(88)

Subs not used: Simonson, Wilkinson, Cort, Tonge

Attendance: 15,881