By Alan G
January 22 2006

Neil Mellor scored a last-gasp winner on his debut to clinch all three points for Wigan Athletic. Latics started the brightest, and on two minutes Neil Mellor flicked up the ball into the stride of Jason Roberts who powered a drive into the back of the net.

‘Boro keeper Bradley Jones got a hand to the ball but was unable to keep it out.

 

Latics then began to dominate and went further ahead 27 minutes later when Gary Teale’s cross was met by the head of debutant David Thompson, who with the ‘Boro defence all at sea, had snuck into space, and the ball flew past the despairing dive of Jones.

 

Middlesbrough must have thought another heavy defeat was coming, but first Roberts and then Teale elected to shoot rather than pass to Mellor, who both times was in space.

 

Teale continued to tear apart Emanuel Pogatetz, who himself was guilty of wasting a good first-half chance when he headed too close to Mike Pollitt.

 

Stuart Downing, on his return from a five month absence after knee surgery  put Yakubu through, but his lofted effort was high and wide.

 

The second half began in a complete reversal of the first, with Middlesbrough carving open the Latics defence at will and their good work in the first half was completely undone when firstly Jimmy Floyd-Hasslebank headed in from a corner and secondly the ball bounced off Yakubu’s leg and into the net after Gareth Southgate headed a corner back across the box.

 

Middlesbrough – who had been booed off at half time – seemed to be the ones destined for the three points, but Latics refused to lie down and die or even settle for a point.

 

Deep into injury time, Roberts backheeled the ball into the path of Mellor and he smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

 

·  Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren:
"We are very down, frustrated and disappointed but determined to put things right.

"It was a real kick in the teeth. But we have to keep believing that our luck will turn and we will get out of this.

"The goals wre sloppy and we are conceding far too many. You cannot win football matches like that."

·  Wigan boss Paul Jewell:
"In the first 45 minutes we played exceptionally well and could have had more than a two goal lead.

"But we did not defend well from set-pieces and we were punished for that.

"Our front two were excellent throughout and I am delighted with the character that we showed in the second half."

Middlesbrough: Jones, Bates (Johnson 32), Riggott (Ehiogu 27), Southgate, Pogatetz, Parnaby, Cattermole, Parlour, Downing, Yakubu, Viduka (Hasselbaink 45).
Subs Not Used: Schwarzer, Doriva.

Goals: Hasselbaink 56, Yakubu 66.

Wigan: Pollitt, Chimbonda, Scharner, Henchoz, Baines, Thompson (Johansson 90), Bullard, Kavanagh, Teale, Mellor, Roberts.
Subs Not Used: Filan, Jackson, Francis, Skoko.

Booked: Scharner, Thompson.

Goals: Roberts 2, Thompson 29, Mellor 90.

Att: 27,208

Ref: A Marriner (W Midlands).