By Chris O'Brien
April 9 2005

Wigan Athletic showed why they are challenging for the Football League Championship as the Lancastrian outfit ground out a 2-0 victory at Ninian Park. The result throws Cardiff City right back into the thick of the relegation battle.

The Bluebirds find themselves only a solitary point above the relegation zone following a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Championship chasing Wigan Athletic. The Latics showed their quality with a ground-out result in a rather unspectacular Ninian Park clash.

Cheap tickets saw a crowd of over 16,000 but the 'extra man' atmosphere the boardroom had hoped for didn't materialise. Sam Hammam, still hiding in the back of the home dugout, did not try a Delia Smith rendition during the half-time interval! Lennie Lawrence handed a home debut to Neil Ardley, including the right winger in a four man midfield alongside Richard Langley, Jobi McAnuff and Joe Ledley. This was a midfield that faced the task of facing ex-Bluebird Graham Kavanagh.

Kavanagh made an emotional return to South Wales only weeks after being forced out of the club to stave off administration. Wigan forked out £400,000 for the Irish international who now has the chance to play in the Premiership before his illustrious career comes to an end. He received a good reception prior to kick-off, though perhaps not as good as he expected, with a minority of supporters booing the former skipper and even chanting "Cardiff reject". Many disapproved but it was good to see that not everybody had jumped on the 'Holy Kavanagh' bandwagon.

Neil Alexander defended a back four made up of Tony Vidmar, Chris Barker and the impressive centre-half partnership of James Collins and Daniel Gabbidon. With Weston injured, Vidmar was surprising preferred to Darren Williams at right-back. The ex-Sunderland man must be wondering what he has done wrong, finding it almost impossible to climb into Lennie Lawrence's starting XI. Unsurprisingly, Peter Thorne and Cameron Jerome continued their partnership up front after both scoring mid-week at Stoke.

In hindsight, City will be angered that they didn't make more of the first forty-five minutes after playing the better football in a rather punchless half. Wigan, who's automatic promotion hopes had taken a major blow with back-to-back defeats, looked a team out of sorts and the hosts looked the more likely of the two sides to break the deadlock.

Wigan did well to soak up a lot of pressure, and although Jerome's pace caused Athletic problems, few clear-cut opportunities were created. Thorne and Langley both went close with headers, with John Filan kept busy as City looked to stamp their authority on a game crucial to all involved. The visitor's were well disciplined and organised though and did well to deal with the Cardiff attacks, though their frustration was evident with Kavanagh marking his return to Ninian Park with a yellow card for a late challenge.

The second-half was a very different affair. Paul Jewell's attacking line-up started to put the Bluebirds under pressure and the 1,000 travelling Lancastrians started to sense an opening goal for their promotion-chasing Latics. The opening goal came only five minutes into the second period, and after Jason Robert's superb header, Athletic played in a composed nature oozing with confidence and impressive passing styles.

Nathan Ellington, playing in an unfamiliar role on the left flank, found McMillan on a forward run. The full-back swung in an inch-perfect cross from the left-hand side that found the head of Roberts and from there the destination of the ball wasn't in doubt. A powerful header gave Alexander no chance. Wigan had the lead, and after Sunderland's early afternoon defeat to Reading, their Premiership dream looked likely again.

Cardiff continued to battle in vain but Wigan now had a hold on the game. Not content with one goal, Jewell sent his men forward in search of another having promised supporters an offensive game plan until the end of the season. The critical second goal came five minutes from time, revealing Cardiff's defensive frailties in almost embarrassing fashion. The irony of the goal's scorer and creator only rubbed salt into the wounds of the bloated home attendance.

With Cardiff putting emphasis on attack and having thrown Alan Lee and on-loan Michael Boulding on in desperation, a laughable defence allowed Wigan to tie up the win with ease. As the midfield pressed forward, the nervous Bluebirds backline stood off attacking players and Kavanagh found himself in front of goal with only the 'keeper to beat. His unselfish pass to another former Bluebird, substitute Alan Mahon, gave the impression the Dublin-born midfielder didn't want to score and his celebrations were severely muted. His team-mates punched the air in delight, securing a vital victory in the promotion run-in.

This was a bad game of football. The free-flowing football Wigan normally enjoy playing was replaced by a nervous approach. Athletic, having led the way for most of the 2003/2004 campaign, imploded at this stage last season and missed out on the play-offs. Perhaps it is this type of ground-out result that shows Wigan are ready for that step-up into England's top flight. Good luck to them and their supporters.

As for Cardiff City, the battle against relegation is well and truly on. Any preconceptions of safety after three points against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium have been forgotten with only one point and a superior goal difference separating Lennie Lawrence's lads and the bottom three. Attentions must now be turned to Preston North End and a tricky visit to Deepdale.

Full Time - Cardiff City 0-2 Wigan Athletic
Attendance - 16,858

Cardiff City AFC: Alexander, Gabbidon, Barker, Collins, Vidmar, Ardley, Langley, McAnuff (Boulding 69), Ledley, Jerome, Thorne (Lee 69).
Substitutes Not Used: Boland, Margetson, Williams.

Wigan Athletic FC: Filan, McMillan, Jackson, Breckin, Eaden, Kavanagh, Jarrett, Bullard (Wright 86), Ormerod, Ellington (Mahon 76), Roberts.
Substitutes Not Used: Walsh, Teale, Baines.