Phil Daley bagged a brilliant brace as Wigan Athletic stunned a sluggish Fulham side at Craven Cottage to pile more pressure on Alan Dicks last night.
The Latics showed real character to bounce back from Saturday’s 5-1 mauling at the hands of Rotherham United to record their first away win of the season, having conceded nine goals on the road in the first two matches away from Springfield Park.
Daley gave the visitors the lead in the fifteenth minute, starting and finishing a move that saw winger Ray Woods turned superbly to supply a cross that the striker steered past Jim Stannard at the near post. Bryan Griffiths could have doubled Wigan’s lead two minutes later but he fired wide after Fulham’s defence had been opened up by a brilliant ball from Allen Tankard.
Fulham equalised when Glen Thomas fired home their first home league goal of the campaign from five yards out after excellent work from John Marshall. Justin Skinner saw a cross-cum-shoot cleared from underneath the bar just before half time, but Dicks’ side were fortunate not to go in behind at the back after Don Page powered past Thomas only to shoot straight at Stannard’s legs.
The home side enjoyed all of the possession in the second half, but with both Steve Milton and Gordon Davies only fit enough for brief cameos from the bench, struggled for a cutting edge up front. Pike had Fulham’s best chance when he advanced forward from left back but saw his hopeful shot deflected wide.
Woods set up Wigan’s winner with eleven minutes left, roaring down the right flank and sending in another brilliant cross that Daley converted clinically to the delight of the travelling fans. Latics manager Bryan Hamilton said afterwards: “This was some goal. Big Phil had to stretch for it but Ray Woods created a chance out of absolutely nothing”.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Newson, Ferney (Davies 82), Kelly (Milton 60), Skinner, Brazil, Haag.
GOAL: G. Thomas (24).
WIGAN ATHLETIC: Adkins; Tankard, Atherton, Patterson, Johnson, Parkinson, Rimmer, Griffiths, Woods, Daley, Page. Subs (not used): Johnson, Fairclough.
GOALS: Daley (15, 79)
ATTENDANCE: 3,041.
