Ten-man West Brom ended 10 months of away-day misery as Martin Albrechtsen came from the bench to bag his first goal for the club.

After a run of 14 Premiership games without a win on their travels, stretching back to March 19 when they beat Charlton 4-1 at The Valley for their only away league victory of last season, manager Bryan Robson's side can again head home with a smile on their face.

For Albrechtsen, it was also a moment to savour after coming on just before the break following the dismissal of Darren Moore, with the defender breaking his Baggies duck since a £2.5million move from FC Copenhagen in June 2004, and on his 49th appearance to leave Albion five points clear of the relegation zone.

Yet it was all so different just two minutes before the break when Robson was left fuming on the touchline due to a moment of rash stupidity from Moore as he earned a second caution, and subsequent red from referee Martin Atkinson.

Both bookings were fully merited, the first especially so after grabbing Lee McCulloch's face as they went to ground following an aerial challenge, although with no malice intended.

But then came the second just 10 minutes later, for shoulder-barging Jason Roberts off the ball after the striker had knocked it yards past him down the right wing.

The cheers from the Latics fans as they waved Moore off the pitch then grew in intensity a minute later when Robson was forced into a change to cover for his defender's indiscretions.

In bringing on Albrechtsen, Robson took off Nathan Ellington, who had been given so few touches of the ball in his 44 minutes on his return to the JJB Stadium after a £3million summer move, the Wigan fans had barely an opportunity to boo their former hero.

Little did those Latics fans know at the time that such a change would prove the turning point of the match.

Before that, West Brom at least had the better chances of a relatively sterile first half.

Arguably their best came in the eighth minute when Mike Pollitt beat away a stinging Steve Watson volley after the defender had latched onto a flick-on from a Darren Carter corner.

Albion's one other first-half chance to end their goal drought came shortly before they were reduced to 10 men, with Moore knocking a long ball down into the heart of the area.

An alert Kevin Campbell managed to steal in between Stephane Henchoz and Pollitt, but with his flick deflected over the crossbar by the advancing Latics goalkeeper.

Wigan's chances were even more fleeting, with Roberts thundering a drive over after Curtis Davies had cleared a low Pascal Chimbonda cross into his path.

A couple of free-kicks from Jimmy Bullard and Graham Kavanagh barely caused another hero in Tomasz Kuszczak too much concern before the Pole made a fine save in beating away a searing McCulloch drive after being played in on the break by Chimbonda.

Despite the man advantage for the second half, Wigan failed to shake off their apparent lethargy, and after a warning had been posted via a Campbell header to a Wallwork cross saved at point-blank range by Pollitt, the visitors duly delivered in the 56th minute.

A Leighton Baines pass to Paul Scharner on the halfway line was a poor one, allowing Ronnie Wallwork to dispossess the Austrian and embark on a scurrying run down the right wing.

An overlapping Albrechtsen then took Wallwork's pass in his stride before despatching a crisp and true angled drive beyond Pollitt that was hardly the finish of a defender.

That finally awoke Wigan from their slumber as they then proceeded to push Albion onto the backfoot, with the woodwork denying them an equaliser in the 64th minute.

Bullard's outswinging corner to the far post was headed back across the edge of the six-yard box by Chimbonda for McCulloch to rise and crash his header against the crossbar.

Intense pressure followed as Albion found themselves encamped in their own box, but with Kuszczak to prove the difference.

After clawing away another curling Kavanagh free-kick, he then reserved his best until last, and in the dying moments of injury time as he spread himself on his goal-line to deny Roberts who seemed destined to score from three yards.

Teams

Wigan Pollitt, Chimbonda, De Zeeuw, Henchoz, Baines (Johansson 80), Bullard, Kavanagh, Scharner, Teale, Roberts, McCulloch.

Subs Not Used: Filan, Jackson, Francis, Skoko.

West Brom Kuszczak, Watson, Curtis Davies, Moore, Robinson, Greening, Wallwork, Inamoto, Carter, Ellington (Albrechtsen 44), Campbell (Earnshaw 79).

Subs Not Used: Chaplow, Kirkland, Rob Davies.

Sent Off: Moore (43).

Booked: Wallwork, Moore, Robinson.

Goals: Albrechtsen 56.

Att: 17,421

Ref: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).