Two sent off as Scharner earns Latics point

Wigan 1 Everton 1

Everton striker Duncan Ferguson had only been on the field seven minutes when he was shown a straight red by referee Mike Dean for punching Paul Scharner in the stomach.

Three minutes later Wigan striker Jason Roberts was also given his marching orders for elbowing David Weir in the face.

Everton were quicker to the punch for an opening half hour by the end of which they were a goal to the good, although it should have been more.

Their ninth-minute opener was somewhat fortuitous when Tim Cahill’s shot from the edge of the area ricocheted off the covering Stephane Henchoz. As David Thompson challenged Leon Osman for the loose ball, the new Latics star, who scored on his debut 10 days ago in a 3-2 win at Middlesbrough, made it an unwanted two in two games by prodding an own goal past the stranded Mike Pollitt.

Somewhat against the run of play, Wigan were level on the stroke of half-time. Henchoz delivered a raking ball down the right wing for Pascal Chimbonda, who headed the ball on into the six-yard box where Scharner sidefooted past Wright.

That gave Wigan the impetus to take the game to Everton after the break, yet all credit to the Toffees for withstanding the pressure applied.

Pollitt had to be at full stretch to tip away a drive from Arteta soon after the restart but from then on it was primarily all Wigan.

WIGAN: Pollitt, Chimbonda, Henchoz, De Zeeuw, Baines, Teale, Bullard, Scharner, Thompson (Ziegler 45), Roberts, Mellor.

EVERTON: Wright, Hibbert, Weir, Stubbs, Nuno Valente, Osman, Arteta (Ferguson 73), Cahill, Neville, Kilbane, McFadden.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).