Camara double keeps Wigan’s UEFA Cup hopes alive

Wigan 3 Aston Villa 2

Even then, it was not without some consternation as they were at one stage pegged back after taking the lead for a ninth successive league game, only for a Henri Camara double to settle the issue.

But after earning some breathing space with Sunday's vital derby win over Birmingham, O'Leary is almost certain to find himself back in the firing line with Villa fans.

In doing the 'double' over Villa, Wigan are back in with a shot of a UEFA Cup place as they trail sixth-placed Blackburn by three points.

The first half had 'end of season' written all over it, and it was a case of small mercies that Jimmy Bullard was on hand to raise spirits.

Out of the ordinary came something extra special in the 25th minute.

It was down to a man who has not missed a Premiership game this season and started all bar one to inject life into matters.

Captain Jason Roberts chased down a floated ball into the area, hooking it back into the danger area.

From there, Gary Cahill, a Villa hero from Sunday's derby triumph, cleared with an overhead kick, only for the ball to fall to Bullard two yards outside the area. Bullard proceeded to connect with a sweet right-foot volley into the top left-hand corner that gave goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen no chance.

Villa mustered just one chance in the opening 45 minutes. That came in the 17th minute, sparked by James Milner delivering a low ball into the area from the right wing.

With his back to goal, captain Gareth Barry turned inside Pascal Chimbonda and fired in a half volley past Stephane Henchoz.

However, goalkeeper John Filan turned the ball aside, and was aided by Gary Teale, who hacked clear with Milan Baros poised to pounce.

What was then put in the players' half-time cup of tea is anybody's guess as the game exploded with four goals in 15 minutes.

Wigan were on top when Juan Pablo Angel slid in onto a low, piercing ball from half-time substitute Gabriel Agbonlahor for his third goal of the season.

Then Camara lit up the game with a brace inside four minutes.

His first in the 56th minute with Villa level for just three minutes was exquisite, as he seemingly had nowhere to go from just inside the area after receiving a ball from Reto Ziegler.

But he first turned Cahill inside out, and with three players in front of him, managed to squeeze in a shot that beat Sorensen inside his right-hand post.

On the hour, Camara and Chimbonda exchanged passes inside the area, with the latter's ball into the six-yard box hacked away by Cahill.

But it was clearly not the luckless youngster's night as he merely found Camara who drove home his 11th goal this term.

Villa were handed a lifeline when Liam Ridgewell scored his first goal since the end of December.

A right-wing cross from Barry skimmed off the head of Damien Francis, and with Ridgewell in behind the Wigan defence and at point-blank range, he slipped the ball home.

Ridgewell and Angel had chances to equalise again in a rousing finale, while Bullard should have eased the home fans' nerves late on.

WIGAN: Filan, Chimbonda, Henchoz, Scharner, Baines, Teale, Francis (Kavanagh 79), Bullard, Ziegler (McCulloch 81), Camara, Roberts.

ASTON VILLA: Sorensen, Hughes (De la Cruz 66), Cahill, Ridgewell, Samuel, Milner, McCann, Gardner (Agbonlahor 45), Barry, Angel, Baros.

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).