Latics beat ten man Blackburn Rovers in an incredible match which saw both Marcus Bent and Roque Santa Cruz net hat-tricks.
Wigan started brightly and quickly took a three goal lead before Santa Cruz grabbed a goal back for the visitors shortly before half-time. Benni McCarthy saw his penalty missed in the first half, whilst Brett Emerton was sent off for a shove on Ryan Taylor in the 57th minute. But the Paraguayan Santa Cruz international netted another two goals to pull Rovers back on level terms with Latics with half-an-hour still to play. However, Bent went on to score a further two goals himself to secure Wigan's first win since August.
Manager Steve Bruce decided to move Paul Scharner into defence, whilst Ryan Taylor was given a slot on the left wing ahead of Jason Koumas. Marcus Bent and Emile Heskey were the strikeforce, although the latter was stretchered off towards the end of the first half due to injury, and was replaced with Julius Aghahowa.
Latics took advantage of Blackburn's sloppy start and had taken the lead after just ten minutes. Bent knocked the ball to Denny Landzaat who easily got past his marker forty yards away from goal, and went one-on-one with Brad Freidal and easily despatched the ball into the net. The Dutchman won't score an easier goal for a while!
Then Bent got his first goal as he controlled a long pass and won a tussle with Rovers captain Ryan Nelsen. But the Latics striker kept possession, and he angled a shot into the far post from twelve yards.
However, the JJB Stadium crowd were in disbelief when referee Mark Clattenburg awarded a penalty half-way through the first period when he claimed Heskey held Christopher Samba in the box. It was an incredibly harsh decision, but justice was done as Chris Kirkland palmed away McCarthy's spot kick around the post.
Clattenburg certainly had an influence on the match as he handed out no less than eight yellow cards throughout the ninety minutes.
Latics increased the lead in clinical style as Taylor's free-kick from the edge of the area was thumped into the net from close range by the head of Scharner.
But just as the first half ended, Rovers clawed back a goal to give themselves hope. It what was a wonderful goal by Santa Cruz, with his back turned to goal, he chested the ball over his marker Titus Bramble, and fired in a brilliant volley into the roof of the net.
The visitors soon realised that hope though as reduced the deficit to just one goal within four minutes of the restart. Emerton's cross was headed by David Bentley towards Kirkland, who made a great one handed save, but he couldn't prevent Santa Cruz smashing in the rebound from point blank range.
Latics were then given an advantage as Emerton saw red for an off the ball incident where he shoved Taylor in the back. Clattenburg gave the Australian his marching orders, but the decision was as harsh as the penalty decision against Latics in the first half.
But Rovers ensured being a man down didn't affect them as three minutes later, they had reduced Wigan's three goal advantage to nothing. Stephen Warnock's left-footed cross was headed in by Santa Cruz, and the former Bayern Munich man had his hat-trick.
However, Latics didn't waste any time in wondering how their three goal lead disappeared as they quickly made amends. Luis Antonio Valencia, who caused Rovers all sorts of problems on the right wing, picked up the loose ball after the Ewood Park club lost possession and he sent a perfect cross into the box where Bent headed powerfully into the net from close range.
Latics made sure Rovers didn't get another chance to equalise again as Bent completed his own hat-trick with ten minutes remaining to make the three points safe. Valencia fed the ball through to Aghahowa, and the Nigerian coolly squared the ball to Bent who easily slotted the ball past a helpless Friedal, and Latics had their first three points under new boss Bruce.
Even though there were eight goals, there were chances for even more. In the second half as both Latics and Blackburn were tied at three a piece, Bramble's cleverly envisaged long ball was chested down by Bent and into Aghahowa's path, and the former Shaktar Donetsk striker saw his volley from twenty yards went just wide of the far post, whilst Austrian powerhouse Scharner's shot parried was by Freidal and before it was caught at second attempt.
And Rovers' Santa Cruz could have added more onto his hat-trick as he blasted the ball over the bar early in the first half, and headed over the bar from a Bentley corner with fifteen minutes remaining.
It was an unbelievable match which was full of non-stop action as the ball constantly went from one end to the other, and although Rovers did well to wipe out the three goal advantage, Latics showed in the second half that they certainly have the fight and spirit to climb up the table.
LATICS: Kirkland; Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Kilbane (c); Valencia, Landzaat, Brown, Taylor (Olembe 89); Bent, Heskey (Aghahowa 40) (Granqvist 90).
SUBS: Pollitt, Koumas.
BOOKED: Heskey, Taylor, Brown, Aghahowa
BLACKBURN: Friedal; Warnock, Nelsen (c), Reid, Bentley, Savage, Emerton, Pedersen Samba, McCarthy (Derbyshire 74), Santa Cruz (Dunn 90).
SUBS: Brown, Mokoena, Olsson.
BOOKED: Samba, Emerton, Warnock, Savage
SENT OFF: Emerton
REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg
ATTENDANCE: 16,489
