Thursday, April 6, 2006

by Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com

LONDON, England: Grenadian international Jason Roberts ended his goal-scoring drought when he scored for Wigan Athletic in an English Premier League match at Blackburn on Monday night.

The Grenadian front-man, who has failed to find the back of the net since mid-January, opened the scoring with an inspirational 52nd-minute strike. Roberts' goal came from an out-swinging corner from Jimmy Bullard, which found the head of an unmarked Pascal Chimbonda at the far post, who nodded the ball into the six-yard box.

With his back to goal, Roberts cleverly beat American goalkeeper Brad Friedal with back-heeled volley.

However, Blackburn got a controversial 83rd minute equaliser through Shefki Kuqi to salvage a point for the home side, but Roberts was still convinced that his Wigan side had done enough to win the game.

"I felt we did enough to win the game," he said. "We didn't play at our best, but we had a few opportunities and a few decisions went against us, so we are disappointed.

"I don't want to say too much [about the referee], but I'm sure anyone who has watched the game, will think the decisions were a bit strange, especially when you consider what was given towards us.

"It's a hard to place to come, and not a lot of teams get points here. I thought we improved in the second half, and we created some chances, and on another day, we would have put them away."

Wigan boss Paul Jewell shared the same view as Roberts and added that poor officiating by referee Phil Dowd denied his team maximum points.

"We deserved to win again but the referee cost us the game," Jewell told the press after the game. "It's a blatant push. It's not even a close one, but I thought the referee's performance throughout was not a very good one.

"I don't normally blame referees the ref's cost us three points, the lad (Neill) has barged into John and it's a foul. As for the offside goal, it wasn't even close."

Wigan currently sits at eighth in the premierships on 47 points, one less than Jamaican Ricardo Gardener's Bolton Wanderers, who are on 48pts.

Wigan will next be in action when they play host to Birmingham City on Saturday April 8 at the JJB Stadium.

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