Stuart Pearce made several changes to City’s starting line-up. Thatcher & Mills returned on the flank of defence, Sun Jihai moved up to left midfield, Ireland partnered Reyna in midfield and Sibierski was teamed with Wright-Phillips up front. Ishmael Miller was rewarded for his superb season in the reserves with his first league bench placement.
It was another bright but chilly day in Manchester - spring is still some way around the corner!
The Match
City had the best of the opening five minutes, with Stephen Ireland showing some nice touches in the middle of the park.
Jason Roberts had the first shot in anger after 10 minutes, but his volley from 20 yards went nearer the corner flag than the goal.
Roberts’ strike partner had a much better chance after 13 minutes, when Camara latched onto a bit of confusion in the City defence that Roberts had been quick to exploit. Thankfully for the Blues, Camara’s shot from the edge of the box went over the top of the corner of James’ left post and the bar.
City nearly took the lead in bizarre circumstances after 18 minutes, when Filan, throwing out after collecting a corner, threw the ball straight at the back of David Sommeil’s head. The ball looped goalwards and nhit the bar, although referee Atkinson deemed it an infringement so had the ball gone in, it would not have been a goal. This, despite Sommeil knowing little or nothing about the ball coming his way at the time.
Persistance from Wright-Phillips paid off when he won a corner after 25 minutes, but Filan was able to collect the kick with ease.
Sibierski, hobbled off after 27 to be replaced by Samaras, but seconds later the Blues were thanking their keeper for maintaining the level scoreline. Gary Teale was quickly onto a rebound in the area and drilled a shot in but David James dived low to his left and parried the ball away from goal.
Wright-Phillips was the first booking of the game after 33 minutes for a clumsy challenge on Baines right in front of the referee.
City had a great chance four minutes later, when a neat backheel from Sinclair found Mills. The right back crossed towards Samaras and Ireland, but the two City players seemed to get in eachother’s way, and after a brief meleé Wigan cleared.
Thatcher went down the left on 40 minutes and found Wright-Phillips, who checked himself then crossed towards Samaras but once more the Wigan defence stood firm and repelled the City attack.
In the last minute of the first half, Ireland swung in a test free kick from the left, which Filan did well to punch away one-handed while falling down. Distin attempted a shot after a neat ball-juggle but the ball drifted wide of Filan’s left post.
Wigan threatened from a corner in stoppage time, but Kavanagh’s follow up shot was miles high and wide.
With five minutes of the second half gone, City nearly had the ball in again in odd circumstances. Ireland floated in a corner from the right that curled back towards goal. Filan finger-tipped it across the goal and Baines headed it clear from right on the line.
A minute later, Bullard crossed from a corner and Distin was on hand to head behind to concede another that Wigan made nothing from.
But with 55 on the clock the visitors took the lead. City had conceded a corner after James had twice miskicked when trying to clear. From this, Lee McCulloch raced in to head powerfully home from eight yards out.
The rare sight of a substitute being substituted happened on 61, when Samaras limped off to be replaced Ishmael Miller who came on for his first appearance at senior level.
Danny Mills was booked on 66 after catching Baines late, and in the aftermath Claudio Reyna also hobbled off to be replaced by Lee Croft.
With all their substitutes on, and three worrying injuries ahead of Monday’s FA Cup quarter final, City now had everything to do with time running out to secure something from the game.
Wigan were still potent though, and Bullard tried a long range effort with 14 minutes left that dipped in flight, but James was well behind it. The visiting contingent of fans were delighted with the way the afternoon was unfolding, while City supporters were getting increasingly restless.
With just over 11 minutes left, Sun Jihai chipped in a cross that found it’s way to Ireland, who shot with his left foot first-time, but the ball bobbled through a crowd of players to go two yards wide of the post.
The Chinese international drifted a free kick in with 82 on the clock, and Lee Croft wound himself up for a shot, but his volley went high into the stands. Sun Jihai tried one from range with four minutes to go, but his attempt bent away from goal and went into the crowd behind.
Mills chipped one of the defence with two minutes to go and Miller looked to have a chance running in towards goal, but Chimbonda shadowed him well and Filan collected.
The Wigan keeper kept things level right on 90 minutes, although Sinclair may think that he should have scored. He collected a good ball from Ireland and homed in on goal, but his right foot shot from inside the area was taken by Filan diving low to his right.
Roberts should have sealed the game deep into stoppage time when he latched onto a ball that Sommeil failed to clear. The big Wigan striker took a second too long, and his shot was saved by James, who flung out his right leg to deflect the ball wide.
That was the last action of the game, and the visiting fans gave their team a rapturous ovation. It was a disappointing afternoon for the home fans, who would be hoping that Monday’s cup tie will see something completely different from their side.
