Super substitute Antoine Sibierski's late strike against ten man Derby was the only goal of the game which handed Wigan our first away win of the season. The Frenchman replaced Denny Landzaat with just nine minutes left to play, and within sixty seconds of his introduction had netted Latics a goal.

Sibierski controlled the ball with a brilliant first touch from Marcus Bent's header before volleying it into the bottom corner of the net from over twenty yards.

Rams defender Claude Davis had earlier been sent off just before the hour mark after his two yellow cards for clumsy challenges on Bent meant Derby had to play a man down.

The win was just what Latics deserved against former boss Paul Jewell's new look County team after seeing more of the ball and created more chances than their hosts, whilst Chris Kirkland wasn't really tested in his goal.

Steve Bruce had included new signing Wilson Palacios as Paul Scharner was suspended anyway, and the Honduran midfielder played for over an hour before Jason Koumas replaced him.

Jewell gave debuts to five new Derby players including Robbie Savage, Laurent Robert and Danny Mills, and they certainly gave Latics a spirited battle before Sibierski's goal sunk the Pride Park club.

Latics nearly took the lead against the Premier League's bottom club after just two minutes when Michael Brown volleyed over from Antonio Valencia's cross, and the tough tackling midfielder nearly capitalised from Savage's clearance, but he was denied by Derby 'keeper Lewis Price as he parried the driven shot away just after the half-hour mark.

Marcus Bent went close in the 25th minute when he fired wide after Emile Heskey flicked the ball onto Valencia who squared the ball to Wigan's top scorer. The striker also saw a spectacular effort go wide eleven minutes into the second half as his 30-yard striker whistled pas the post.

Just before the half-time break, Mario Melchiot's pass found Heskey, who left Derby defender Tyrone Mears in his wake, and the England man squared the ball to Bent whose shot was cleared off the line before Valencia skewed the rebound wide.

Koumas had also seen a long range effort on 66 minutes go wide of the post as Latics showed their quality.

Derby's Robert saw his long range effort caught by Kirkland after seven minutes whilst Craig Fagan also saw his shot go wide of the target in an otherwise untroubled affair for the Wigan goalkeeper.

The Rams were certainly a hard working unit, but Bruce's substitution of putting on Sibierski paid dividends as Latics collect another three points towards safety. Wigan have now only lost once in their last six league outings.

LATICS: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Palacios (Koumas 64), Landzaat (Sibierski 81), Heskey, Bent (Olembe 90).

SUBS: Pollitt, Aghahowa.

BOOKED: Brown, Boyce

GOALS: Sibierski 81.

DERBY: Price, Mears, Davis, Todd, Mills, Fagan, Savage, Ghaly, Robert (Edworthy 57), Villa (Teale 70), Barnes.

SUBS: Hinchliffe, Macken, Lewis.

BOOKED: Davis

SENDING OFF: Davis

REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg