Wigan continue riding high
Portsmouth 0 Wigan 2
Wigan’s French right-back Pascal Chimbonda scored for the second successive Barclays Premiership game to keep his side riding high in the table.
A second from Jason Roberts, with Chimbonda again involved, sealed the win which keeps the Latics’ fine start to the season well on track.
Before meeting Portsmouth atFratton Park only Henri Camara had scored more than one goal in the league for them this season.
But Chimbonda, their French right-back signed from Bastia whose header in the last minute beat Fulham last week, used his loaf again to nod in a Jimmy Bullard corner just after the break following a poor first half.
And Chimbonda set the seal on the Latics’ sixth consecutive Premiership win with a lightning break out of defence 11 minutes from time to lay on a tap-in for former Pompey striker Roberts.
Another ex-Pompey player, defender Arjan de Zeeuw, had an easy time at the back with team-mate Stephane Henchoz who looked after Pompey’s liveliest threat Dario Silva, the veteran Uruguayan.
Pompey risked the wrath of their fans and sent on substitute Laurent Robert, who refused the job last week, after an hour.
They even sent on Lomana LuaLua a few minutes later for his first game since catching malaria in September.
Nothing made any difference to their frustration as, once more, they finished without a home win for the campaign.
Things will not get easier as it is Liverpool away next and then Chelsea at home for Portsmouth.
Wigan racked up their ninth win in 10 starts in all competitions – they have not lost since the opening two weeks of the season – but neither side impressed in a sterile first half.
Wigan goalkeeper John Filan gave himself a fright, failing to claim a speculative long, high ball forward from Gregory Vignal early on and then watching the lively Silva put in a header that dropped just over the bar.
Wigan’s nimble inter-changes kept Portsmouth on their toes and Linvoy Primus, just back from injury, had to get a vital foot in to deny former team-mate Roberts access to the penalty area on 16 minutes.
Striker Henri Camara, booed all match because of his Southampton connections, was ruled narrowly offside as Wigan began to string their passes together and penetrate.
Pompey ran hard but could not disturb the immaculate composure of their former skipper De Zeeuw who stood imperious in the Wigan defence.
And after Bullard saw a shot on the turn blocked, the Latics could have snatched the lead if another Pompey old boy had taken more care with his finishing a minute before the break when his side were cranking up a bit of pressure.
With time and space available Roberts stabbed wide of the mark.
Damien Francis did the same, although with the aid of a deflection, early in the second half when Camara set him up.
From the corner Chimbonda rose at the far post to head the simplest of goals, his second in two weeks.
Pompey threatened in isolated flurries, defender Brian Priske heading wide from a corner.
But it was still a bit of a surprise when the disgraced Robert came on as substitute for his busy countryman Vignal on the left.
His first cross was a beauty but Silva could not head it home and, after a couple more raids, Pompey threw the game away.
The marking was non-existent when Chimbonda burst clear down the right and provided the perfect cross for Roberts to slip home.
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