Wigan wonders Roberts and Camara get on scoring sheet again

West Ham 0 Wigan 2

The duo scored two goals inside a minute of the first half to make it a miserable night for Alan Pardew, who should have been celebrating his 100th league game in charge of West Ham.

West Ham and Wigan have been the surprise packages in the Premiership this season.

But last night it was Wigan who showed that out of the three sides who gained promotion into the Premiership, they stand the best chance of securing a top-10 finish.

Jewell may not have a Wayne Rooney to call upon, but in Roberts and Camara he has two forwards who can cause problems for any defence.

Both strikers got on the scoresheet during the St Stephen’s Day win over Manchester City and in East London they once again ensured Wigan came away with all three points.

It was the away side who dominated the opening exchanges and could have opened the scoring after just nine minutes when Camara raced into the penalty box, but was denied by former Wigan keeper Roy Carroll.

The West Ham players looked as if they were still recovering from a Christmas hangover as Wigan piled the pressure on Carroll’s goal.

Leighton Baines’ high ball over the top of the West Ham defence picked out Roberts who held off the challenge of James Collins and Paul Konchesky, but fired just wide.

Roberts turned provider for Camara on 13 minutes when he played a superb ball into the path of the Senegal international. But Carroll just did enough once again to deny the prolific forward.

The home crowd were starting to get restless and Pardew brought on Zamora for the ineffective Fletcher after just 26 minutes.

Carroll was proving the star man for the home side and he kept his side in the game once again on the half-hour mark, denying former West Ham midfielder Jimmy Bullard.

Roberts laid the ball into the path of Bullard on the edge of the box and the talented midfielder stuck a dipping shot which was superbly beaten out by Carroll diving away to his right.

Wigan refused to give up and finally got their just rewards on 43 minutes when Roberts fired them into the lead.

Anton Ferdinand made a sloppy clearance which fell to Camara. The Wigan striker released Roberts into the box who skipped past James Collins and made no mistake on this occasion sliding the ball past Carroll.

Camara was not to be outdone and got his name on the scoresheet 60 seconds later.

Konchesky made a dreadful mistake in the penalty box which allowed the former Wolves striker to make a fantastic turn and strike the ball into the into the corner of the net.

West Ham did everything to claw their way back into the game, but not even Zamora could change the outcome of the game when he headed over from just two yards on 72 minutes. It is back to the drawing board for Pardew who will want to ensure that all the hard work his side have shown over the first half of the season is not put to waste.

But it does not get any easier for his side as they prepare to face Charlton and Premiership champions Chelsea in the next two games.

WEST HAM: Carroll, Dailly, Ferdinand, Collins, Konchesky, Bellion (Newton 45), Reo-Coker, Mullins, Fletcher (Zamora 25), Etherington, Harewood (Aliadiere 82).

WIGAN: Pollitt, Chimbonda, De Zeeuw, Jackson, Baines, Teale (Francis 84), Bullard, Kavanagh, McCulloch, Roberts, Camara (Connolly 81).

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).