Norwich 1 Wigan 1

In a nail-biting, end-to-end 90 minutes of football, it was not to be for Paul Lambert’s Norwich side this sunny Sunday. Victor Moses second half goal gave Wigan a much needed point, and kept Norwich out of the 8th spot.

Wes Hoolahan’s goal put the Canaries in the lead early on in the first half, and although they maintained possession, there was little more to show for it.

Throughout the second half, the visitors regained control and remained on the offensive. It was clear throughout that Wigan were playing for survival, as the battle against relegation begins in earnest. Winning just one of their last 13 games, and faced with wins from both Bolton and Blackburn, Wigan manager Roberto Martinez urged his team to “keep the faith”. The Latics played high up the pitch, leaving Norwich with few options, increasingly forcing them to use the long ball. Too often, the “Irish Messi”, Wes Hoolahan, and plucky Simeon Jackson, simply did not have the height to compete with Wigan’s towering defence.

Wigan could have won by two or three, but failed to produce the finishes. Notable mistakes came from substitute Mohamad Diame as he missed two late chances. Man of the match John Ruddy also made his fair share of impressive saves to stop the visitors from pulling ahead.

Paul Lambert described it as “one of the hardest games of the season”, and not having won a game in four – the longest period this season – refuses to relax until Norwich are safe.

Norwich started promisingly, after an early goal from Wes Hoolahan on his 150th appearance for the club. The man from the Emerald Isle, produced a gem of a goal, as he received a left-footed volley, and hooked the ball up into the far corner.

Wigan’s first chance came from Jean Beausejour, as Rodallega delivered the ball to the edge of the Norwich penalty area. Beausejour’s angled shot went straight to Ruddy. The visitors were now controlling possession and had their best opportunity to equalise on 26 minutes.

Moses cut the ball back through the box, where Rodallega tricked his marker and fired goalwards. Ruddy was again well placed to save.

As half-time approached, Ruddy spilled Gomez's ambitious angled 25-yard drive, but Rodallega was unable to turn the loose ball in.

The Norwich keeper then got lucky again after being unable to hold on to Rodallega's low strike, but gathered the ball just ahead of Moses. Norwich finished the half under pressure, but kept their one goal lead going into the second half.

Wigan were back on the offensive from the blow of the whistle in the second half, as Moses turned inside full-back Kyle Naughton and floated a ball across the six-yard box.

At the other end, Holt then headed wide from Drury's left-wing cross.

McCarthy played a neat one-two with Gomez and burst into the Norwich penalty area, but Ruddy got down well to save his low, first-time shot.

Norwich seemed to regain their earlier spark, yet without really making progress in the final third.
Wigan remained well on top with striker Steve Morison, on for Holt, having to hack clear inside his own six-yard box.

Wigan netted a deserved equaliser on 68 minutes. Shaun Maloney slipped through Moses, who held off the Norwich defence to round Ruddy and slot home.
The final twenty minutes of the half were frantic as both teams searched for an elusive match winner. A powerful header at the far post by Welsh striker Steve Morrison produced a stunning save by Ali Al-Habsi to rescue a well fought point for the Latics.

The single point gained by each club leaves Norwich just shy of the 40 point ‘safety zone’ and Wigan, still rooted to the bottom of the table, can take some much needed momentum into the last ten games of the season.