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Wigan logo
Premier League
May 19, 2013 at 4pm UK
 
Aston Villa logo

2-2

Boyce (20'), Baker (45' og.)
FT(HT: 2-1)
Vlaar (60'), Bent (5')

Live Commentary: Wigan Athletic 2-2 Aston Villa - as it happened

Sports Mole's live text commentary of today's Premier League game between Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa that ends in a 2-2 draw.
2

Wigan Athletic welcomed Aston Villa to the DW Stadium for their final game of an eight-year stay in the Premier League.

Paul Lambert's men got off to a fast start thanks to Darren Bent's fifth-minute goal, but a Nathan Baker own goal and Emmerson Boyce's header sent the Latics into half time leading.

However, Ron Vlaar's brilliant second-half goal secured Villa a 2-2 draw.

You can read how the action unfolded with us below.


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Thanks for joining us at Sports Mole. Until next time...

So the curtain comes down on another season in the Premier League. We haven't had the drama of last season, which was always going to be hard to rival. Still, we can look forward to next season. But before we do, a busy summer of transfer activity awaits us. Oh joy!

PREMIER LEAGUE FINAL SCORES:

Chelsea 2-1 Everton

Liverpool 1-0 QPR

Man City 2-3 Norwich

Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal

Southampton 1-1 Stoke

Swansea 0-3 Fulham

Spurs 1-0 Sunderland

West Brom 5-5 Man Utd

West Ham 4-2 Reading

It was a crazy game at The Hawthorns for Sir Alex Ferguson's final game in charge of Manchester United. His side took a were ahead 3-0 and 5-2 at points during the game, but a Romelu Lukaku hat-trick has sealed a 5-5 (FIVE-FIVE) draw for West Bromwich Albion.

Looking elsewhere, Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League thanks to a 1-0 win over Newcastle United at St James' Park. Laurent Koscielny has scored the goal to seal it for the Gunners. It was needed as well, as Gareth Bale was once again the hero for Tottenham Hotspur against Sunderland at White Hart Lane.

Click here to read Sports Mole's Match Report.

So Wigan's eight-year stay in the Premier League comes to an end with a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. It wasn't a classic, and both sides at times showed why they have been fighting at the bottom of the table this season. A draw is the fairest outcome.

FULL TIME: WIGAN 2-2 VILLA

Maloney sends a corner into the box and the Villa defence are all over the place. The ball is worked to the left of the box for Golobart, who tries to delicately chip Guzan, but puts it over.

Wigan are pushing hard for a winner as we enter the three minutes of time added on.

VILLA SUB: Ashley Westwood is replaced by Gary Gardner.

WIGAN SUB: Edu Campabadal comes on for Emmerson Boyce.

It's a dangerous ball from Maloney and Guzan comes under pressure from Kone. the striker gets too much on his header, though, and it goes well over the bar.

Bennett brings down Henriquez and Wigan now have a chance to put a free kick into the box from a wide position.

BOOKING! Boyce becomes the latest to be reprimanded for a foul on Dawkins.

We're into the final 10 minutes at the DW Stadium.

OFF THE BAR! Espinoza clips a cross into the box for McArthur, but his controlled side-footed effort cames back off the woodwork! Guzan was helpless as the ball sailed over his head. So unlucky!

Westwood's free kick is too long and the ball goes out for a goal kick. Villa have wasted too many of their set pieces today. Not one has really troubled the Wigan defence, who have been sloppy in conceding those opportunities.

Espinoza brings down Lowton to give Villa another opportunity to deliver the ball into the box.

VILLA SUB: Jordan Bowery comes on for Gabriel Agbonlahor.

BOOKING! The referee blows for a foul by James McCarthy and the midfielder reacts by throwing the ball away. He's rewarded with a yellow card for that display of petulance.

WIGAN SUBS: Angelo Henriquez replaces Jordi Gomez and Fraser Fyvie replaces Ben Watson.

Gomez fires a long ball into Kone's chest and Baker looks to have misjudged the flight. The Ivorian chests the ball in front of him, but the linesman's flag goes straight up. Replays show be to be correct.

VILLA SUB: Simon Dawkins comes on to replace Yacouba Sylla.

Wow! That came out of absolutely nowhere! Bennett lofts a free kick into the box and the Dutch centre-back has space to bring it down before, in one quick movement, swiveling and hooking the ball past Al-Habsi. Brilliant goal, although Wigan's defenders should have been tighter.

GOAL! WIGAN 2-2 VILLA (RON VLAAR)

OFF THE BAR! Maloney twists and turns out wide and ends up drawing a foul. He takes the free kick quickly, catching the Villa defence unaware. Espinoza's cross from the left finds Boyce, but this time the defender's header skims off the crossbar.

Agobonlahor turns golobart in the middle of the park and breaks forward, but he ends up running down a blind alley. The ball is layed back for Westwood, but his cross to the back post isn't good enough and easily cleared.

Wigan are probing in Villa's final third. They're the team in the ascendancy. McCarthy pokes a ball through to Kone inside the box, but his cross is blocked at the near post.

A poor header from Vlaar lets McCarthy in but Guzan shoots off his line and dives at his feet to quell the danger! That was sloppy play from the Dutch defender there and it nearly cost his team another goal.

Wigan try to play their way out of danger as Villa have them penned in at their own corner flag. Possession is eventually given away by Espinoza with a pass that was a bit too casual. That's often been the Latics' downfall this season.

Watson strikes at goal but Guzan gets down well to save. He didn't catch it was well as he would have wanted, but the Villa keeper showed a safe pair of hands in gathering it cleanly.

Anyway, back to the action and Wigan get us back underway at the DW Stadium.

TEAM OF THE SEASON! Here is the link for our poll for Team of the Season once more. If you don't vote and you disagree with the outcome then you can't complain! The results will be announced on May 22.

PREMIER LEAGUE HALF-TIME SCORES:
Liverpool 1-0 QPR
Man City 1-1 Norwich
Newcastle 0-0 Arsenal
Southampton 0-0 Stoke
Swansea 0-1 Fulham
Tottenham 0-0 Sunderland
West Brom 1-3 Man Utd
West Ham 2-0 Reading

If you're only just joining us now, you can catch up by reading Sports Mole's Half-Time Report by clicking here.

Replays of the goal clearly show the ball coming off Baker. It wasn't easy to see at first glance, even though it now looks obvious. Watson's effort was cleared off the line by Bennett, but his clearance rebounded off a helpless Baker and into the net. Unfortunate.

So Wigan have come from an early goal down to lead at half time at the DW Stadium. It's been quite an even contest, though.

HALF TIME: WIGAN 2-1 VILLA

CORRECTION! The goal has gone down as an own goal by Nathan Baker. The corner came in and it was Golobart who had the initial effort on goal, which was cleared off the line. A scramble ensued and Watson turned the ball towards goal, but it was Baker who was deemed to have got the decisive touch before it crossed the line.

GOAL! WIGAN 2-1 VILLA (BEN WATSON)

Corner for Wigan in first-half injury time.

Golobart gives the ball away needlessly in midfield. Bent plays it into Weimann, who tires to go it alone but his shot lacked power and accuracy.

Nearly a chance there for Villa! Agbonlahor glides past Espinoza before trying to play in his strike partner Bent at the front post, but he can't quite get there and Wigan escape.

Watson loses possession yet again for the Latics. His goal won them the FA Cup last Saturday but he's having a shocker so far.

BOOKING! Matt Lowton is the first into the referees notebook for a foul on Golobart.

The Scot gets his shot on target but Guzan is across to it early.

Maloney drives at the Villa defence and is brought down by Sylla. This free kick is well within his territory.

Delph tries to get down the left but his cross is easily cut out. However, Watson puts his team back in trouble with a lax headed pass. Nothing comes of it though.

Villa have another free kick from 25 yards out but this time it's Westwood standing over it. He clips it to the far post for Vlaar but Boyce puts it behind for a corner.

Bent tries to return the earlier favour from Agbonlahor with a through ball but he doesn't quite have the pace to get past Scharner and Al-Habsi comes off his line to pick up the pieces.

Bennett tries to lay it up for Delph but there's not enough pace on the pass and it's easily cut out. Wigan spring forward on the counter with Kone, but his shot is hit and wide.

Lowton drifts inside from the right and draws a foul from Ben Watson. It was dangerously close to the edge of the box. Bennett and Vlaar plot over the free kick.

There's plenty of action in the middle of the park, but not much at either end despite the two goals.

Some balloons on the pitch are causing a bit of havoc for the players. Agonbonlahor got a bit mixed up as the ball ricocheted off one.

Wigan are up for this now. They're seeing plenty of the ball and making Villa chase.

A great header from Boyce levels the scores! He got ahead of Bennett to get on the end of Espinoza's cross from the left wing. Guzan flailed but couldn't get near it.

GOAL! WIGAN 1-1 VILLA (EMMERSON BOYCE)

Nearly a chance there for Wigan! Maloney slips a lovely ball through for Kone, who delays his shot for just a split-second, allowing Bennett to get the recovering tackle in. The resulting corner from Maloney goes deep for Watson at the back post, but his knock back across goal fails to find a Latics shirt and Villa are able to clear.

Wigan are yet to turn up in this game. You never know what you're going to get with this team.

That's only Bent's third Premier League goal of the season. It's his 16th appearance, but only half of them have been starts. He's struggled with injury this season, but has also been used sparingly by Paul Lambert when fit. There's a degree of uncertainty regarding his future at Villa Park.

Wigan get the game back underway. Not exactly the start they had in mind.

Wonderful start for the visitors! Agbonlahor drives through midfield before playing in Bent, who pulled off the shoulder of Golobart before firing low past Al-Habsi. The Wigan defence let Bent go free and have paid the penalty. There's a break in play due to the travelling Villa fans throwing a flare onto the pitch in celebration.

GOAL! WIGAN 0-1 VILLA (DARREN BENT)

Agbonlahor wins a free kick for Aston Villa from around 25 yards out. Vlaar and Bennett conspire over it, but it's the latter who strikes it, but there was very little power on it. Al-Habsi was far from convincing in punching the ball away.

Wigan may have been relegated but their fans are in full voice this afternoon. The DW Stadium is packed out, which in fairness hasn't always been the case during their stay in the Premier League.

Villa get the match underway.

The teams are out on the pitch and we're done with the pre-match palaver. We're now moments from kickoff...

We're just five minutes from kickoff at the DW Stadium.

TEAM OF THE SEASON! We would like to hear your thoughts on who should make up the Premier League's Team of the Season for the 2012-2013 campaign. Click here to vote for yours.

Sports Mole has blanket coverage of all the Premier League games today as all 20 teams are in action on this final day. With not much to play for, there is only one thing left to be decided - the final Champions League spot. It's between North London rivals Arsenal, who are in box position, and Tottenham Hotspur. Click here to follow the Gunners' trip to Newcastle United, or here for Spurs hosting Sunderland at White Hart Lane.

It was a memorable first season for Wigan, then under the leadership of Paul Jewell. It was decorated with a double over Manchester City and a win at Goodison Park. They also reached the final of the League Cup, but found Manchester United to be a bridge too far as they crumbled to a 4-0 defeat.

They hosted Chelsea at what was then referred to as the JJB Stadium. Wigan held managed to frustrate the champions until the very last minute, when Hernan Crespo produced a stunning left-footed strike to win it.


This will be their last Premier League game before a long, hard season in the Championship. Who remembers their first game after being promoted eight years ago? Maybe this will jog your memory...

A point from this game would see the Latics avoid this being their worst ever points tally in a Premier League season. They totalled 36 points during the 2009-2010 campaign.

They did, however, win 3-0 at Villa Park earlier in the season thanks to goals from Ivan Ramis, Emmerson Boyce and Arouna Kone.

Wigan have a poor recent record at home to Villa in the Premier League, failing to win any of their last six (D2, L4). The last time they triumphed over the Villans was in 2006, when Jimmy Bullard and a brace from Henri Camara sealed a 3-2 victory.

Meanwhile, Roberto Martinez has gone for one up front in the form of Arouna Kone. Ali Al-Habsi returns in goal in place of Joel Robles. He sits on the bench today alongside Angelo Henriquez, Jordan Mustoe, Daniel Redmond, Eduard Campabadal, Franco di Santo and Fraser Fyvie.

Paul Lambert opts for a three-pronged attack headed by Andreas Weimann, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent. Ashley Westwood Fabian Delph and Mohammad Sylla form the midfield. On the bench for Villa today is Shay Given, Ahmed El Ahmadi, Simon Dawkins, Gary Gardner, Jordan Bowery, Charles N’Zogbia and Chris Herd.

WIGAN: Al Habsi; Boyce, Golobart, Scharner, Espinoza; McArthur, McCarthy, Watson, Gomez, Maloney; Kone

ASTON VILLA: Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett; Westwood, Delph, Sylla; Weimann, Agbonlahor, Bent

TEAM NEWS JUST IN!

Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole for live coverage of the Premier League. It's the final day today but there is not much to play for. Many looked at this game as a battle of who would stay up, but unfortunately Wigan have already suffered that fate following defeat at the Emirates Stadium earlier this week.

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