Wigan on the brink

Wigan 0 Middlesbrough 1

Mark Viduka left shell-shocked Wigan staring relegation in the face after grabbing the only goal of a tense tussle at the JJB Stadium today.

Viduka pounced on a freak Stewart Downing free-kick to prod Boro ahead in the 29th minute and the visitors hung on as the Latics failed to fire in front of goal.

Lee McCulloch’s early header against the bar proved Wigan’s best chance while Julius Aghahowa and Emile Heskey also missed chances late in the game.

Wigan roused themselves for a final push and the impressive Taylor came close with a curling free-kick 10 minutes from time which flashed just wide of Schwarzer’s left upright.

Then with clear-cut chances still few and far between for the home side, substitute Caleb Folan aimed a weak header straight at Schwarzer six minutes from time.

Heskey had Wigan’s last chance in injury time when he squeezed between two Boro defenders but blazed his speculative effort over the bar.