Dimitar Berbatov matched his goals tally of last season with a clinical
finish in the 1-1 draw against Wigan on Saturday.
On a blustery afternoon in
the north west the Bulgarian slotted us into the lead but it was one that could
not be maintained and a third draw in a row was recorded after Emile Heskey's
first half leveller. In truth, Wigan created more and better openings in the
second half and looked most likely to score, but a draw it remained. The JJB
Stadium was far from full but, behind the goal protected by Radek Cerny in the
first half, the Spurs thousands were out in force again and there was a gasp in
the opening seconds when Robbie Keane squeezed into the area and gave Chris
Kirkland an early feel of the ball. Just five minutes were on the clock when a
sublime ball from Tom Huddlestone set Aaron Lennon speeding away down the right.
He managed a precise delivery and, after a little flick off a defensive head,
Berbatov stole in to steer beyond Kirkland for his 23rd goal of the season -
matching last term's tally. Marcus Bent then warmed Cerny's hands for the first
time in the afternoon, but he was soon to be picking the ball out of his net.
Heskey shrugged off the attentions of Didier Zokora before shooting on the turn
and beating the Czech low to his left. Wigan warmed to their task, marshalled by
Michael Brown snapping at yellow heels all over the park, but the quality was
coming from those on unfamiliar, not to mention patchy, turf. Wilson Palacios
attempted to capitalise on Jermaine Jenas' loss of possession just after the
half hour mark and unleashed a swerver that Cerny only managed to grab at the
second attempt. Berbatov was flattened in the area by Mario Melchiot in an
incident referee Mr Probert mustn't have seen otherwise Kirkland would have been
in the firing line from 12 yards. Steed Malbranque and Berbatov both came close
to restoring the advantage before a Michael Dawson header from close range was
cleared off the line by Ryan Taylor. Wigan were quicker out of the blocks at the
beginning of the second half, a Taylor free-kick being well charged down by the
wall before Alan Hutton did well to muscle the same player out of a clear route
on a goal. At the other end the advancing Kirkland did particular well in
foiling Lennon's shot after the wide man had sneaked into the right hand side of
the penalty area. A drilled Berbatov ball came close to setting Keane free, but
the Wigan Bent did find himself in the clear moments later and rattled his
effort off the underside of the crossbar after our defences were dissected with
ease down the left side. The home team were cranking up the pressure ahead of
Jenas working himself a shooting chance after some neat approach play, but his
shot under pressure went high. Cerny was forced into a block from Heskey after a
cross from Antonio Valencia, which was followed by the introduction of Darren
Bent in place of Keane. Heskey was removed from the equation due to injury and
Antoine Sibierski took to the field and was straight in the thick of it with a
volleying chance that got the crowd excited but came closer to disturbing the
corner flag.
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