Goals from Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele saw Fulham record their first away win of the season over rock-bottom Wigan.
Wigan punished by Dempsey and Dembele goals
Goals in either half from Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele saw Fulham record their first away win of the season over rock-bottom Wigan.
Dempsey opened the scoring four minutes before the interval after the Cottagers hit the Latics on the break, with Danny Murphy releasing Bobby Zamora who crossed for Dempsey to slot home.
Wigan enjoyed plenty of possession but could not turn chances into goals, with Victor Moses and Maynor Figueroa both hitting the woodwork in the second period.
At the other end, Zamora also hit the crossbar before Dembele made sure of the win with four minutes remaining as the Wigan defence stood off him.
The defeat was Wigan's seventh in succession and saw Roberto Martinez's side drop to the bottom of the table.
It was the visitors who started the brighter, with Andrew Johnson and Dembele looking dangerous, while the hosts were forced into an early change, bringing on James McArthur after Mohamed Diame came off worst in a challenge with Steve Sidwell.
Exert pressure
Having repelled the Fulham attacks, Wigan slowly began to exert some pressure of their own, with David Jones seeing a shot saved by Mark Schwarzer before guiding another effort past the post.
Approaching the half-hour mark, the home side really should have gone ahead.
First, full-back Figueroa rampaged through the Fulham defence before setting up Albert Crusat for a cross that was only cleared as far as Ben Watson, whose volley was expertly tipped over the bar by Schwarzer.
From the resulting corner, captain Gary Caldwell was left unmarked eight yards out but could only head over.
After an uninspiring beginning, the game had opened up, and Johnson might have done better than shoot weakly at Ali Al Habsi when he found himself in space on the right of the area.
There was a heart-in-mouth moment for Schwarzer when he fumbled Moses' low cross-shot but, with Rodallega waiting, the ball bounced just past the post.
Wigan had paid for a failure to turn their dominance into goals at Newcastle last week, and so it proved again in the 41st minute when Dempsey put Fulham ahead.
Murphy launched a quick break by finding Zamora out on the left and his low cross was perfect for Dempsey, whose shot bounced into the net despite the best efforts of Al Habsi.
Still Wigan could have been level at half-time as Moses deflected Watson's shot but, with Schwarzer struggling, the ball flew just the wrong side of the post.
Deserved better
Wigan began the second half fuelled by a sense that they deserved better. But still the goal would not come and at the other end Figueroa had to be alert to deny Johnson after Zamora broke away down the left.
The Latics' luck was certainly out in the 54th minute when Moses let fly from 25 yards with a stunning volley that had Schwarzer well beaten but bounced off the angle of post and bar. Rodallega was first to the rebound but was flagged offside.
Fulham were struggling to get out of their own half but they remained a threat on the break and in the 61st minute Zamora got on the end of a long ball and smashed a volley off the top of the bar.
More and more there was a sense that, again, this was just not going to be Wigan's day. Fulham appeared to have ridden out the storm and threatened themselves when Zdenek Grygera played in Johnson down the right, but the angle was tight and he shot wide.
At the other end, Rodallega was given a chance from 25 yards out after substitute Dickson Etuhu fouled fellow replacement Franco Di Santo but his effort was straight at Schwarzer.
The goalkeeper needed the help of his woodwork again in the 83rd minute when Figueroa drove forward and struck a swerving shot that Schwarzer thought was going well wide but in fact bounced off the post.
And Wigan's fate was sealed three minutes later as the defence backed off and allowed Dembele the freedom to run to the edge of the area and place his shot wide of Al Habsi.
| Wigan Athletic |
Team Statistics |
Fulham |
| 0 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 6 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 10 |
Shots off Target |
2 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 9 |
Corners |
0 |
| 18 |
Fouls |
13 |
| 3 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
5 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 82.7 |
Passing Success |
77.9 |
| 13 |
Tackles |
19 |
| 84.6 |
Tackles Success |
68.4 |
| 54.1 |
Possession |
45.9 |
| 55.1 |
Territorial Advantage |
44.9 |
| 491 |
Total Passes |
429 |
| 37 |
Total Crosses |
8 |
| 156 |
Lost Balls |
147 |
| 58 |
Recoveries |
55 |
|
