Premier League: Wigan 1 Norwich 1

A gaffe from Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi before half-time helped Norwich grab a 1-1 draw at Wigan in their first Premier League game since 2005.

The

hosts took the lead on the 21st minute through an unstoppable Ben

Watson penalty after Franco Di Santo had been brought down by Ritchie De

Laet. But, in an error-strewn first 45 minutes, Norwich fittingly made

the most of Al-Habsi’s error to smash the ball home on the stroke

of half-time.

The game kicked off in understandably frenetic

fashion, with Di Santo hacked down by a nasty looking challenge

from David Fox to earn the Canaries man a booking after less than 30

seconds.

Chances proved few and far between for both teams, though

it was Norwich who were playing the more attractive football, dictating the flow

of the game from the centre of the park. However, the speed of Victor

Moses was proving a problem for Paul Lambert’s side, with the former Crystal

Palace man nearly scoring a phenomenal opener, just scuffing an effort

having embarrassed Andrew Crofts and Russell Martin.

It was the

visitors who were to have the first clear-cut chance however, as

Steve Morison, having received the ball from Watson deep in the Wigan half,

played in Wes Hoolahan only the former Blackpool man to completely slice

his effort on the edge of the area.

He was made to pay only

minutes later as De Laet acted tentatively on the left wing only to be

robbed by Di Santo and hauled down the advancing Latics man as he

entered the area.

It was a clear penalty and Watson duly smashed it home to provide the home side the breakthrough.

Norwich offered little in response and De Laet was caught dwelling on

the ball once again on the left-hand side as Wigan moved up a gear and

regained possession in midfield. Chances for Di Santo and Moses were to

come to nothing but the hosts’ dominance was becoming prevalent as

half-time approached.

As the cause was looking lost for the

visitors, they were offered a reprieve on the stroke of half-time as

Al-Habsi spilled Morison’s effort

into the feet of Hoolahan, who tucked the ball away to make Lambert’s half-time team talk far easier.

If

De Laet had been the villain for the Canaries in the first-half, he was

to prove their saviour early on in the second with a magnificent tackle

to deny Moses.

The young Wigan forward was having a magnificent game and was nearly rewarded with a goal following a

spellbinding run from the right, in which he weaved in and out of the

Canaries defence only to be stopped by John Ruddy. With half an hour

remaining, neither side looked happy to simply take the point and run.

Lambert’s

side were proving ever more threatening and as he brought on two

wingers in Elliot Bennett and Anthony Pilkington with a quarter of an

hour remaining, the Scot’s intentions were clear. The game looked there

for the taking as the hosts went on the retreat.

It was Wigan

who nearly grabbed the points however through the phenomenal Moses, as

the youngster blasted an effort into De Laet. However, as the away side

looked over the precipice, they hung on to secure a valuable point to

leave De Laet relieved and the Canaries fans singing.