Barclays Premier League

GREAT GOMEZ

Wigan take the three points at the DW, after a pulsating game of football. Two sides that are low in the table, showed a surprising amount of attacking intent and flair. A fairly even first half saw Reading take the lead from a Sean Morrison header, leading at half time. The second half saw the introduction of Franco Di Santo, which seemed to give Wigan fresh attacking impetuous. Ten minutes into the half, Gomez equalised at the second attempt, after a good save from Federici. The Wigan took the lead as Gomez came flying in with a spectacular diving header, before an Al Habsi howler allowed Reading back into the game. The tie seemed to be fizzling out, before a fast break gave Jordi the chance to seal his hat-trick, and the win for Wigan with a solid finish. Reading were perhaps unlucky, but Wigan showed great spirit to get themselves the win.

FULL TIME

A massive three points for Wigan. It finishes Wigan Athletic 3 - 2 Reading

IT HAD TO BE

Arouna Kone is released down the left, and squares to Jordi Gomez, who is free to slam home for what is surely the winner. Ali Al Habsi is a relieved man.

GOOOOOALLL!

Ignore that last message. Jordi Gomez gets his hat-trick. Wigan Athletic 3 - 2 Reading

NEARLY THERE

It looks like that goal has taken some of the confidence out of Wigan, and Reading seemed to have tired. The game has quietened down.

STOPPAGE TIME

Three minutes.

WIGAN PRESSURE

Maynor Figueroa decides to get involved in the attack. He dances around a couple of defenders, but his chipped cross to the back post is too long.

SUB FOR READING

Pavel Pogrebnyak on for Jason Roberts

SUB FOR WIGAN

James McArthur on for David Jones

OH DEAR

Hal Robson-Kanu takes a shot which is blocked by the Wigan defence and the ball richocets high up into the air. Al Habsi watches it all the way into his gloves, only to lose it at the last moment and drop the ball into his own net. Who would be a keeper?

GOOOOALLLLL

An Ali Al Habsi mistake gifts Reading an equaliser. Shocker. Wigan Athletic 2 - 2 Reading

BIRTHDAY WISH

It is Wigan chairman Dave Whelan's 76th birthday today. This scoreline would make a good present for him.

READING CHANCE

Chris Gunter plays a lovely ball into the back post, which is laid back into the path of Jobi McAnuff, but the Reading captain's effort sails over the bar.

READING SUB

Garath McCleary replaces Jay Tabb, with Brian McDermott hoping some fresh legs will do the trick.

ALMOST

Gomez is really pulling the strings now. A wonderful first-time pass releases Kone, and he waits for the gap to open...before shooting wide.

LIKE BUSES...

Gomez hasn't scored all season, and two come along at once. Beausejour's ball is splendidly headed home by Gomez. Great finish.

GOOOALLL!

Jordi Gomez gets his second. Wigan Athletic 2 - 1 Reading

SWING AND A MISS

Beausejour mis-hits his cross, but it arrives at the feet of Di Santo, who takes a bit of an air-shot, which is always funny!

INJURY TO GORKSS

Gorkss goes off the field to receive treatment on a facial injury. He returns to the pitch with no number on his shirt.

CHANCE APIECE

The game has come back to life. Reading almost double their lead as Kone shoots just wide, before Le Fondre heads just wide from Tabb's cross.

EQUALISER

Wigan break down the left, and Morrison, who had such a good first half, is caught out of position. Jordi Gomez moves into the space behind him and advances on Federice. The Reading keeper makes a good save from the Wigan mans first effort, but cannot keep out the second. Game on.

GOALLLLL!

Lovely move from Wigan, Gomez scores. Wigan Athletic 1 - 1 Reading

QUIETER HALF

After a frantic opening couple of minutes, the tempo has settled and both sides are cancelling each other out a little at the moment.

READING EFFORT

Roberts finds half a yard on the edge of the box, but his shot creeps wide. Busy start to the second half.

WIGAN SUB

Another injury for Wigan. Ramis cannot continue and is replaced with Adrian Lopex. What is going on at Wigan at the moment?!

BLOCKED

Reading have a chance of their own almost immediately. Robson-Kanu hits the ball long towards Roberts, who sets up Le Fondre, only for Ramis to make a last minute block.

WHAT A SAVE

Almost level at the start of the second half. Jones nicks the ball in the centre of the park, and plays a superbly weighted ball through for Di Santo who tries to bend it to the far post, and somehow Federici gets across to make a save.

KICK OFF

Wigan get the second half underway.

HALF TIME SUB

Wigan make a change at half time. Shaun Maloney has picked up an injury, so Argentine international Franco Di Santo comes on to take his place.

GREAT HALF

An even first half, with the only difference being that Reading have taken their half-chance. Both sides are playing fast, attacking football – Beausejour causing problems for Reading down the Wigan left, and Reading getting forward in numbers. Sean Morrison scored the only goal so far with a majestic header from a Nicky Shorey free-kick, but is also the stand-out defender in a Reading shirt. Both sides have had their chances, and Wigan are by no means out of this game. Looking forward to the second half.

HALF TIME

Howard Webb blows the whistle. Sean Morrison's header leaves the half time score Wigan 0 - 1 Reading.

STOPPAGE TIME

Two minutes.

WIGAN BOOKING

Terrible tackle from Jones. Misses the ball and sends Jobi McAnuff sprawling. Yellow card.

EVERYTHING BUT SCORE

A fantastic break from Wigan. Down the left again, Beausejour plays it through for Gomez, who takes a neat touch, and takes Gorkss out of the game with his quick feet, but can't find the finish when he should have scored.

TOWERING HEADER

McCarthy has been punished. Shorey whips in the free-kick from the left, and Sean Morrison loses his marker, leaps superbly and heads into the top corner. Great goal from the defender, he wanted that more than the Wigan defenders. Work to do for Wigan.

GOOOALLLLL!

Sean Morrison with a header. Wigan Athletic 0 - 1 Reading

CAREFUL

McCarthy with another foul. He is really walking the disciplinary tightrope at the moment.

OPEN GAME

This game is developing into a real feast of attacking football. Both sides are looking to get forward in numbers, and are causing the opposition defence problems. After a spell of Reading pressure, Wigan are now dominating possession. A fairly even first thirty minutes.

GOMEZ CHANCE

An interesting tussle is developing between Jean Beausejour and Chris Gunter down the Wigan left. The Wigan man gets the better of the defender and finds Gomez in the box, but his shot it way over.

ALMOST PUNISHED

After half of the Reading team touch the ball, Shorey strikes the resulting free-kick towards goal, which Al Habsi grabs on the second attempt. Almost crept under him there. Lucky boy!

CAUTION

First booking of the game for James McCarthy after a number of early fouls.

WIGAN CHANCE

Arouna Kone gets a chance for Wigan. A delightful ball from Gomez finds the Wigan striker in his box, he does well to hold off the challenge, but can't find a way past Federici in the Reading goal. Credit to Kone for staying on his feet.

ANOTHER READING CHANCE

Jobi McAnuff is everywhere at the moment. This time from the right, he cuts inside the box, where four Reading players are waiting for a cross.The cross finds Tabb, whose shot cannons off Ramis. Reading make a half-hearted appeal for a penalty, but the ref is not interested.

GOOD PARTNERSHIP

Adam Le Fondre and Jason Roberts are starting to cause Wigan problems. Roberts' strength and power gives Le Fondre a chance from a tight angle. Reading are threatening to take control here.

AND ANOTHER

Jobi McAnuff with another terrific cross to the far post, but Le Fondre can't quite make the connection he needs. Two chances in two minutes for Reading, as they start to impose themselves on this game.

HEADED CHANCE

Jobi McAnuff wins Reading's first corner, which Shorey takes and whips a terrific ball into the far post. Sean Morrison and Le Fondre both go for it and head just wide. Warning for Wigan.

ROOKIE ERROR

Ronnie Stam sends in a cross from the right which is over the head of everybody. But nobody tells Gunter, and he nods it out needlessly for a corner. Someone has to tell him there. Wigan can't threaten from the corner.

CLOSE FROM KONE

Glorious chance missed from Kone. Jean Beausejour, who has started brightly, whips in a perfect cross, and all Kone has to do is hit the target, Federici is beaten, but the header is wide. Close!

WIGAN BRIGHT

Wigan are putting on plenty of pressure in the opening five minutes. At the moment Reading are looking happy to take their time and allow Wigan the possession.

OLD FRIENDS

Emmerson Boyce is the one survivor in the Wigan squad that won promotion to the Premier League in 2005, along with Jason Roberts.

KICK OFF

Howard Webb blows his whistle, and Reading get the game underway.

READING TEAM

Reading look for consistency. They start with: Federici, Gunter, Morrison, Gorkss, Shorey, Robson-Kanu, Leigertwood, Tabb, McAnuff, Le Fondre, Roberts. Subs: Taylor, Mariappa, Harte, Cummings, McCleary, Hunt, Pogrebnyak.

WIGAN TEAM

Enforced changes for Wigan. They line up: Al Habsi, Boyce, Ramis, Figueroa, Stam, McCarthy, Jones, Beausejour, Gomez, Kone, Maloney. Subs: Pollitt, Lopez, Fyvie, McArthur, Boselli, McManaman, Di Santo.

PRECIOUS POINTS

Reading visit the DW stadium on Saturday afternoon, fresh off the back of their first win of the season last weekend. Wigan, their hosts, are looking to avoid a third straight defeat, but are facing something of an injury crisis, with up to seven first team players missing the game. The managerial merry-go-round seems to have struck the Premiership right in the face this week, so both sides will be hoping for three vital points that could move them away from the danger zone.

MARTINEZ MISERY

Roberto described Wigan's current injury situation as the worst during his time at the club. Ben Watson is missing due to that shock leg-break against Liverpool, although fortunately it is not as bad as first thought. Captain Caldwell will most likely miss out due to a hamstring problem, and McArthur, Crusat and Alcaraz are likely to join him in the stands. Miyachi and Di Santo picked up knocks last weekend, and a late decision will be made on their fitness.

READING RELIEF

Brian McDermott spoke this week of a “burden being lifted” following a first league victory of the season, and Jimmy Kebe's return to training is likely to provide a further boost to the squad. Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy has also returned to training but Adam Federici is set to continue after conceding just once in his last two games. Danny Guthrie is not ready for first-team action while Jem Karacan is also some way off despite being back in light training.

FORM IS...

Both sides have played some decent football so far this season, but haven't been able to convert performances into points, and with only a dotted line separating them from the relegation zone, both managers may start to feel pressure from their chairman. Not quite a six-pointer, but a Wigan win would see the gap between the sides increase to five, whereas a success for the southerners would see them leapfrog their hosts.

STATS

Wigan have lost their last two games, and only the sides occupying the bottom two league positions have lost more; however two of their three league wins have come against promoted sides. Only Stoke have drawn more games than the Royals, and they are unbeaten in four, however the second half is not their friend, conceding more goals than any other top-flight side in the final 30 minutes of matches.

ROB RETURN

In 2005, a 3-1 victory in this fixture for Wigan confirmed their promotion to the Prem, and seven years later one of their goalscorers on that day – Jason Roberts – returns as part of the opposition side. Reading were also the opposition for manager Martinez's last game as a Wigan player.

HEAD TWO HEAD

Wigan have won only two of their last twelve meetings with Reading; however the Royals have taken only two victories from their last seventeen league trips to the Lactics home ground. Recent statistics favour the home team, with three out of the last four going the way of the hosts, however Martinez has steered his side to only one home victory this season.

KEY MEN

It could be a tale of two strikers in this game, with both sides making summer signings to score the goals to keep them up. Arone Kone may be dreaming of the Champions League, and he may not make it there with Wigan, but his performances so far have been impressive, and he leads their goal scoring charts. Reading may feel they are yet to see the best of their Russian raider Pavel Pogrebnyak, and will be hoping he can threaten the Wigan defence. The man in the middle is the FA's “Golden Whistler”, Howard Webb. Webb has officiated over one loss for each side so far this season.