By Alan G
March 6 2006

Manchester United performed a smash-and-grab at the JJB in a match that was marred by some more of the pitiful and contemptible gamesmanship of the type produced by Chelsea at the weekend.

Incompetent referee Steve Bennett was suckered into virtually every single childish Ronaldo simulation and missed numerous leading-arm challenges by Louis Saha.

 

Latics however were undeterred and produced a fine display that prompted some very gracious comments from United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

 

Jason Roberts and Henri Camara ran Wes Brown and Rio Ferdinand ragged in an entertaining first half, but it was Gary Teale with the first chance of the game. However, him being Gary Teale, ballooned a through ball from Camara high over the bar.

The Senegal international then found Roberts with a header, but from just three yards out, Roberts turned and nodded the ball straight into Edwin van der Sar's arms.

United were on the back foot, but still could have taken the lead when a sweet move featuring Ronaldo ended with Wayne Rooney overhitting a pass to Saha when he might have shot.

Latics continued to attack however, with Camara slicing just wide and Graham Kavanagh sending van der Sar scrambling on a couple of occasions.

 

The second half continued in the same vein as the first with some entertaining attacking football from both teams; Rooney heading over three minutes in from a Gary Neville cross.

Latics took the lead from a corner, Ryan Giggs cleared De Zeeuw's header off the line and Van der Sar blocked Roberts' follow-up but the ball eventually fell to an unmarked Scharner, who tapped in.

Ferguson responded by introducing Van Nistelrooy, and the striker, albeit accidentally, made an immediate impact when his miskick fell to Ronaldo, who coolly slotted home.

Just as Latics were pressing for a winner, United robbed the points deep into added on Fergie-time. John Filan pushed a Saha effort onto the bar, the ball rebounded onto Pascal Chimbonda’s leg and the unlucky defender was unable to clear the ball as it bounced, seemingly in slow-motion, over the line.

 

Latics Manager Paul Jewell:
"It was a poxy goal to lose to.

"We don't want people to feel sorry for us. I'm sick for the players and fans - you could see by how United celebrated that they felt they got out of jail.

"We played well but lady luck was just against us. I can't ask for any more effort and we pushed them all the way."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson:
"I don't think we've had a harder away game all season - Wigan were brilliant, absolutely terrific.

"They didn't deserve to lose - it was so unlucky for Pascal Chimbonda, he couldn't do much about it in the end.

"We were poor in the first half but we improved and then gambled. I'd have settled for 1-1 as they were so good."

Latics: Filan, Chimbonda, Scharner, De Zeeuw, Baines, Teale, Bullard, Kavanagh, McCulloch (Ziegler 89), Roberts, Camara.
Subs Not Used: Walsh, Jackson, Johansson, Thompson.

Booked: De Zeeuw, Kavanagh, Scharner, McCulloch, Baines.

Goals: Scharner 60.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre (Evra 85), Ronaldo, O'Shea, Giggs, Park (van Nistelrooy 71), Saha, Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Howard, Vidic, Richardson.

Booked: Giggs, O'Shea, Neville.

Goals: Ronaldo 74, Chimbonda 90 og.

Att: 23,574

Ref: S Bennett (Kent)