Latics frustrated by Royals

Wigan must wait to secure their Premier League status after they were held to a goalless draw by Reading.

Little action on display at the JJB

Wigan must wait to secure their Premier League status after they were held to a goalless draw by Reading. Two sides battling for their lives at the wrong end of the table were never likely to produce an enthralling contest, and so it proved. Both teams were all too aware of the need to avoid defeat and as a result provided little in terms of an attacking threat. A dire first-half was broken up by needless free-kicks and sloppy passes, while Marcus Bent came the closest to finding a breakthrough when he saw a towering header clip a post. On the whole though the finishing at both ends was atrocious, as Jason Koumas skied an early effort out of the ground and Kevin Doyle did his best to replicate that achievement when he sent two close-range volleys sailing into the stands as the first-half drew to a close. The second period was marginally better than the first, but once again a goal never looked on the cards. There was plenty of endeavour on display from both teams, but they were ultimately unable to pick their way through resolute defences. Leroy Lita saw a stabbed effort trickle agonisingly past a post during a rare Reading foray into the Wigan box, while Marcus Hahemann's handling continued to cause nightmares for the Royals backline. Wigan launched a late bid to snatch all three points when Marlon King stung the fingers of Hahnemann in injury-time, but a point apiece was probably a fair reflection in a game which never really got going.

Contrast

Neither side was prepared to commit players forward in numbers, movement off the ball was minimal, the passing was poor and not helped by the bumpy pitch and there were far too many hopeful long balls. Hahnemann had barely finished his pre-match prayers in the Reading goalmouth before Koumas surged past Andre Bikey and tried his luck from 25 yards but he was stretching and the shot sailed over. Koumas was also involved in the seventh minute when Bent headed his corner against the post, before Wigan threatened again with Wilson Palacios sending a wickedly curving shot just wide. Reading's passing was at times woeful and when Lita, recalled from his loan spell at Charlton, did head on to allow Doyle a clear shot his volley was hopeless.

Tempo

Doyle was at least getting into good positions and when Stephen Hunt picked him out again at the far post his volley this time was better but still off target. Koumas continued to look the only person with the craft to open up the opposing side and his dangerous cross was headed out only as far as Palacios who thumped a volley wide. The second half began at a completely different tempo with Hahnemann first tipping over Michael Brown's rising drive and then Emile Heskey sending a powerful header wide from the resulting corner. Reading also appear energised by the break and Liam Rosenior claimed his header at the far post had been handled before Wigan cleared.

Decisive

The tackles began to warm up too. Bikey was booked for felling Palacios before Taylor also found himself cautioned for stopping Dave Kitson in his tracks. Lita tricked his way past Emmerson Boyce then rolled an inviting cross across the goalmouth but such was Reading's lack of enterprise that there was no-one there even challenging for the ball. Hahnemann had to get down smartly to prevent Brown's heavily-deflected shot creeping in, then at the other end Michael Duberry somehow managed to allow Chris Kirkland to claim his point-blank header. With 15 minutes left Ryan Taylor pulled off a tremendous block to prevent Kitson putting the visitors ahead. Koumas could have intensified the agony for Reading but he missed the target from a tempting position. Kitson then proved decisive at the other end to deny Wigan after Paul Scharner had almost bundled Taylor's corner across the line. In injury-time substitute King came close to a Wigan winner but Hahnemann turned aside his fierce strike to secure a deserved point for the visitors.

Wigan Athletic	Team Statistics	Reading
0	Goals	0
0	1st Half Goals	0
2	Shots on Target	1
8	Shots off Target	5
3	Blocked Shots	3
6	Corners	5
18	Fouls	15
11	Offsides	1
2	Yellow Cards	4
0	Red Cards	0
66	Passing Success	60.7
27	Tackles	15
85.2	Tackles Success	80
43.8	Possession	56.2
46	Territorial Advantage	54