Camara’s flash of magic gives Latics win

HENRI CAMARA finally gave the JJB Stadium reason to cheer as his first Premier League goal in almost two years catapulted Wigan out of the relegation zone and put in-form Everton to the sword last night.

The Senegal international striker replaced Olivier Kapo at half-time and needed just six minutes to rifle home a clinical low shot after a delightful piece of skill from Antonio Valencia.

Victory was the perfect fillip for Bruce after recent results raised fears of his side being dragged into a relegation dogfight. Afterwards Bruce admitted the win was a “strange game”, insisting his side have played worse and lost.

Bruce said: “Sometimes it is a strange game. It was arguably one of our worst performances, we have played better and lost.

“It is horrible to play, on a Monday night, when you’ve slipped into the bottom three without kicking a ball. Hopefully we’re out of the bottom three now for six months or so.”

Everton were unbeaten in five games but, after a bright start, they faded badly. The defeat means none of the league’s top 10 were able to produce a win over this latest round of fixtures.

Yet early on, David Moyes’ men looked confident and Yakubu and Louis Saha dovetailed to good effect.

In the 14th minute, Everton crafted possibly the best move of the first half when the lively Yakubu broke clear down the left flank and delivered an inch-perfect cross into Saha’s feet.

The France striker rifled a low, first-time shot goalwards from around 16 yards but his effort drew a fine one-handed save from Chris Kirkland.

Bruce’s decision to replace Kapo with Camara proved inspired. Camara was quickest to react when Valencia’s skill handed him a goal on a plate six minutes after the restart.

Valencia showed a neat touch to control a long punt upfield on the right-hand side of Everton’s 18-yard box. He then drove at Joleon Lescott, slipping the ball between his legs with a cheeky nutmeg before spotting Camara at the far post. Valencia slid a vicious low cross across the face of goal and there was Camara to rifle home.

Cahill had a golden chance to earn a point in injury-time but he shot over the bar and victory was Wigan’s.

WIGAN: Kirkland, Taylor, Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Valencia, Brown, Palacios, Cattermole, Kapo (Camara 46), Heskey.

EVERTON: Howard, Neville (Baines 85), Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Cahill, Fellaini, Arteta, Osman, Saha (Anichebe 65), Yakubu.

Referee: Rob Styles

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