English Premiership
Wigan win at Wolves
2010-12-26 20:02
Birmingham - First-half goals by Colombian international Hugo Rodallega and on-loan midfielder Tom Cleverley saw Wigan to a 2-1 victory over fellow English Premier League strugglers Wolves on Sunday and a priceless three away points.
Although Steven Fletcher grabbed a late consolation goal for the hosts it was not enough to dampen the celebrations of Roberto Martinez' players who were registering only their third away win of the year and just their second in 11 league matches.
Victory kept them above the bottom three - three points clear of Fulham who lost 3-1 at home earlier to second from bottom West Ham - while defeat for Wolves sees them drop to bottom and make it a miserable way for Mick McCarthy to remember his 500th Premier League match as a manager.
Rodallega struck in the ninth minute as he turned and volleyed past Wolves Welsh international goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey after the home defence failed to clear a corner for his fifth goal of the campaign.
Rodallega, who has been with Wigan since joining from Mexican outfit Necaxa last year, turned provider for the visitors second as his incisive pass found Cleverley and the midfielder, who is on-loan from Manchester United, made no mistake shooting past Hennessey in the 20th minute.
Referee Mike Dean became the villain of the piece for the Wolves fans when five minutes later he rejected the players appeals for a penalty as Stephen Ward went down under a clumsy challenge from Steve Gohouri.
Ward was the hosts' most impressive performer in the opening half and the defender came close to reducing the deficit but goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi managed to keep it out with an instinctive save with his feet.