Wigan's Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington combined to devastating effect to
destroy Cardiff and move their side back up to fourth in Division One.
The two strikers, who first forged a partnership in the Third Division with
Bristol Rovers, were in scintillating form and proved they are just as deadly in
the First Division.
Roberts turned down a switch to the JJB at the beginning of the season,
preferring a loan-move to Premiership Portsmouth, but Paul Jewell's persistence
finally paid off in January.
It is easy to see why he went to the trouble of forking out £2.6million for
the pair.
Ellington fed Roberts for the first before the break, a Roberts run set up
Ellington for the second and an Ellington flick-on put Roberts through for the
third within four second-half minutes.
Cardiff boss Lennie Lawrence had all but conceded that the play-offs were
beyond his side after their weekend defeat to Crystal Palace but will have been
disturbed to see his side put up the white flag so readily against one of their
rivals. Not that Wigan were much better to start with.
It was a tepid opening, pointing more towards the Second Division football
these teams were playing last season than the push for promotion to the
Premiership that they have spent much of the campaign chasing.
Roberts had the ball in the Cardiff net on 25 minutes, but the linesman
restored the tension with an offside flag.
Then the Bluebirds had an effort, their only foray forward in the first half,
Richard Langley's free-kick narrowly missing the head of Tony Vidmar and finding
the clutches of grateful goalkeeper John Filan.
But with nine minutes of the opening period remaining, Roberts got the ball in
the net again and it stood.
With left-winger Alan Mahon, who was on loan at Cardiff last season, over on
the right, the ball found its way to Ellington, who drove into the box and found
Roberts with a low pass, leaving the former West Brom man a two-yard tap-in to
put an end to the Latics' mounting frustration.
Lawrence withdrew winger Paul Parry at the break, replacing him with striker
Andy Campbell.
But it was Wigan who almost immediately had the ball in the net, Roberts
chasing a long ball and having his shot saved by Martyn Margetson. The Bluebirds
keeper got a hand to Jimmy Bullard's follow-up as well, but Ellington was
lurking at the far post, in a seemingly offside position, and he steered the
ball into the net for his 18th goal of the season on 54 minutes.
Four minutes later, they added a third. A long clearance was flicked on by
Ellington into the path of Roberts, who twisted and turned past James Collins
before firing low past Margetson from the edge of the area.
City's 31-goal striker Robert Earnshaw watched on jealously, and when his
chance finally came with three minutes left, he screwed his effort wide when
clean through on Filan.
Langley had another free-kick on target, while Filan palmed away an Alan Lee
effort destined for the top corner. But it was Wigan's night and on this
evidence the Roberts and Ellington combination would deserve a crack at the
Premiership next season.
Teams
Wigan: Filan, Eaden, Breckin, De Vos, Baines,
Liddell (Teale 75), Jarrett, Bullard (Farrelly 83), Mahon,
Jason Roberts, Ellington (McCulloch 87).
Subs Not Used: Walsh, Mitchell.
Goals: Jason Roberts 36, Ellington 54, Jason Roberts 58.
Cardiff: Margetson, Croft, Collins, Gabbidon, Vidmar, Robinson,
Langley (Bullock 84), Whalley, Parry (Campbell 45), Lee,
Earnshaw.
Subs Not Used: Alexander, Barker, Gordon.
Booked: Gabbidon.
Att: 8,052
Ref: A Penn (W Midlands).
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