Aliadiere Took The Headlines Last Time Wigan Came Calling!
Last updated : 17 February 2009 By Boro Mad
BORO v WIGAN - HISTORY
2008/2009 Sat 04 Oct Wigan Ath. 0 - 1 Middlesbrough Premier League
2007/2008 Tue 29 Jan Middlesbrough 1 - 0 Wigan Ath. Premier League
Wed 15 Aug Wigan Ath. 1 - 0 Middlesbrough Premier League
2006/2007 Sat 05 May Wigan Ath. 0 - 1 Middlesbrough Premiership
Sat 09 Dec Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Wigan Ath. Premiership
2005/2006 Sat 21 Jan Middlesbrough 2 - 3 Wigan Ath. Premiership
Sun 18 Sep Wigan Ath. 1 - 1 Middlesbrough Premiership
2003/2004 Wed 29 Oct Wigan Ath. 1 - 2 Middlesbrough League Cup
1986/1987 Wed 06 May Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Wigan Ath. Third Division
Sat 30 Aug Wigan Ath. 0 - 2 Middlesbrough Third Division
2007/8 BORO 1 WIGAN ATH 0
BORO: Schwarzer, Young, Huth, Wheater, Grounds, O'Neil, Arca, Rochemback, Downing (Cattermole 88), Aliadiere (Johnson 72), Sanli (Mido 34).
WIGAN: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Scharner, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Palacios, King (Koumas 53), Heskey, Bent (Sibierski 75).
Att: 22,963
The scoreline barely reflected the disparity between the two sides as Boro tore into their Riverside visitors and deserved far more than Aliadiere's solitary 18th-minute strike.
Wigan could barely contain Gareth Southgate's side and, despite fielding new signing Marlon King alongside Marcus Bent and Emile Heskey in an attacking line-up, offered little up front.
King joined Wigan in a £5million switch from Watford after a move to Fulham collapsed this week but he was given little to feed on in a low-key debut. Heskey also had a quiet night in front of watching England manager Fabio Capello.
On the other hand, prospective Middlesbrough signing Afonso Alves will relish life on Teeside judging by the number of chances Boro created for their forwards.
Aliadiere was a handful throughout and Wigan will have been glad to see the back of Boro top scorer Tuncay Sanli, who tormented them before leaving the field injured after half an hour.
Yet his replacement Mido, now fit again after being sidelined since October, helped maintain the home side's dominance.
Boro were without defender Emanuel Pogatetz after the Austrian failed a fitness test on a foot injury but his bite was barely missed as Wigan failed to cope with a determined Boro.
The Latics were in trouble within moments of the kick-off as Julio Arca took advantage of a Paul Scharner slip to play in Aliadiere but the former Arsenal man shot across the face of goal. It would not have counted as the offside flag had been raised, but it was a marginal decision.
Wigan were fortunate to escape again moments later as Tuncay jinked into the area and turned Scharner inside out but his deft shot just clipped goalkeeper Chris Kirkland and went wide.
Scharner, remaining in the thick of the action, then produced a timely interception to deny Aliadiere a certain goal.
Tuncay again had been at the heart of a fine move in setting Stewart Downing free down the right but his cross, seemingly inch-perfect for Aliadiere to score, was cut out as Scharner slid in.
Tuncay himself should have scored after 15 minutes but he side-footed wide from Aliadiere's pass.
Wigan did not look strong enough contain the hosts much longer and the inevitable happened after 18 minutes as Aliadiere latched onto a long ball and finished superbly from distance.
It nearly got worse for Wigan almost immediately as Tuncay then diverted a Downing shot narrowly wide.
The best Wigan could muster in the opening half-hour was a long-range shot from Bent but Mark Schwarzer saved comfortably.
Boro suffered a blow before the interval as Tuncay was forced from the field with what looked like a hamstring injury. Mido, now fit after being sidelined since October, was brought on to replace him.
Tuncay's departure initially robbed Boro of some of their impetus but they finished the half strongly as Mido scuffed a shot wide and David Wheater headed a Downing free-kick over.
Boro maintained the momentum at the start of the second period and Aliadiere was inches away from turning in a Mido cross. Titus Bramble's clearance was far from convincing but at least effective.
Boro came back and indecision in the Wigan area almost let in Mido as Scharner failed to clear and Kirkland dropped the ball but the referee blew for a push.
Bramble almost slid into his own goalkeeper as Gary O'Neil delivered another dangerous cross but Kirkland was not put off and did well to save.
Wigan were barely troubling Boro aside from forcing a couple of corners through deflected Jason Koumas and Heskey shots.
They finally found some life as the game headed towards a conclusion but Schwarzer produced a fine save to keep out a powerful Heskey header.
Frustration began to creep in late on and a plethora of rash challenges from both sides ended with a booking for Heskey.
The game ended in scrappy fashion but Boro left the field satisfied with a win that gives them a five-point cushion over tonight's opponents.
