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Wigan Athletic 1-2 Aston Villa
Match Reports, 22:10, March 16, 2010 ,
Two defensive lapses helped Aston Villa to a narrow win over Wigan Athletic
A James McCarthy own goal and a goalkeeping mistake by Chris Kirkland helped Villa to the three points, although the visitors created the better chances and did enough to win the game in their own right.
McCarthy was under no great pressure when he shot past his own keeper in trying to clear a John Carew header on 25 minutes. It was a bad mistake by a player who was otherwise impressive and summed up the defensive weakness that has plagued the Latics all season.
The hosts responded immediately, Gary Caldwell glancing in a Charles N'Zogbia free-kick two minutes later. Wigan deserved to be level after making an enterprising start, although it was the away team that was more threatening in attacking areas.
Gabriel Agbonlahor had the ball in the Wigan net twice when in an offside position but Wigan had their keeper to thank more than the referee's assistant for going into the break all-square. Kirkland made excellent saves from John Carew and James Milner, but a crucial error on 63 minutes means the hosts' stopper will not remember the match with much fondness.
Kirkland flapped at an Ashley Young corner to give Milner the chance to finish from the edge of the area and the England man made no mistake, firing through a crowd of players to catch the keeper out of position.
Wigan tried hard to produce an equaliser but never looked like breaking down the division's tightest defence.