Wigan Athletic 3-2 West Ham United
Match Reports,
Last updated:
West Ham were relegated at the DW Stadium after losing a two-goal lead against a Wigan side whose survival hopes are now restored.
The Hammers' six-year stint in the Premiership came to an end in Greater Manchester in dramatic fashion.
Four thousand hopefuls from East London travelled to Wigan with the slimmest of chances of surviving the drop and were given false hopes in the first-half.
Two Demba Ba goals put Avram Grant's side ahead inside the first half an hour and, with Birmingham losing at home to Fulham, the Hammers faithful were calculating the odds of staying up.
Wigan were by far the better side throughout the first-half though and it was only a fine save from Rob Green to deny Mohamed Diame that kept the two goal advantage at half-time.
The break saw Roberto Martinez introduce Victor Moses and Connor Sammon, both of whom made an immediate impact to spark a miraculous turnaround from the home side. A sublime 25-yard free-kick from Charles N'Zogbia sparked the comeback which saw a nervy West Ham side, sporting young debutant Jordan Spence, crumble.
Ba should have restored West Ham's two goal lead ten minutes later and was made to rue the miss when Sammon turned James Tomkins inside the box before firing past Rob Green moments later.
A dramatic end to the game saw both sides throw everything at it with the knowledge that a draw would relegate the visitors while only a win would give Wigan real hope of survival. Zavon Hines saw a close range strike cleared off the line by Gary Caldwell in the dying stages before Ben Watson struck the post for the Latics.
N'Zogbia put the final nail in the coffin deep into injury time, his second of the game and a goal that could prove vital in Wigan's Premiership campaign.
Martinez's side must win at Stoke next weekend and will have to hope that Blackpool and Birmingham fail to pick up points against Manchester United and Tottenham respectively. It is a different story for Championship-bound West Ham though who must concede that, as the bottom club in the division, they deserve to be relegated.


