A late Jordi Gomez goal to complete his hat-trick has given Wigan a dramatic 3-2 win over struggling Reading this afternoon.
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Arouna Kone enjoyed the first good chance of the match for the hosts, latching on to Jean Beausejour's cross only to send his powerful header wide.
Kone came close to breaking the deadlock again just before the half-hour mark, reaching a through-ball before taking it past Adam Federici, but Nicky Shorey was on hand to deny the Ivorian striker from an easy tap-in.
Shorey then had a big part to play at the other end of the field, swinging in a deep cross for Sean Morrison to head home, giving Reading the lead.
Wigan looked to bounce back immediately in the second half, and were almost level within a minute of the restart. Substitute Franco Di Santo's curling effort looked destined for the bottom corner but Federici got down well to deny the striker.
The Latics got the equaliser shortly before the hour mark when Gomez lashed his shot home at the second time of asking, having been denied by Federici initially.
© PA Photos
Reading almost restored their lead when Adam Le Fondre connected with a header from close range, but Ali Al-Habsi produced a fine save to deny him.
Wigan completed the turnaround 10 minutes after scoring their first when Beausejour's cross found Gomez, who made no mistake with his effort to net his second of the game.
Reading were not about to surrender the three points, however, and got the equaliser in fortuitous circumstances. Hal Robson-Kanu's effort from the edge of the box deflected high into the air, but Al-Habsi spilled what looked like an easy catch over his own line.
It was the hosts who were to have the final say, however, as Gomez got on to the end of Kone's cross in second-half stoppage time to complete his hat-trick and give his side a dramatic winner.
Barney Corkhill
