Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Wigan Athletic 2.
BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion1WiganWigan Athletic2
Wigan survived a late onslaught to win for the fifth time in six games with victory at Brighton's Amex Stadium.
James McArthur gave the Latics the lead when he struck a left-footed effort past goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
Chris McCann doubled the lead after the break with a 12-yard header from Martyn Waghorn's inswinging corner.
Leonardo Ulloa reduced the deficit in the 78th minute with a close-range strike, while Brighton's Jonathan Obika and Andrea Orlandi also went close.
Victory took seventh-placed Wigan to within a point of a play-offs with their hosts three points adrift in eighth.
Brighton were on top early in the game and David Rodriguez should have hit the target after Dale Stephens played the ball across the six-yard box, before Wigan keeper Ali Al Habsi did well to block a goalbound shot from Ulloa.
The Latics then had another lucky escape when Stephens rose unchallenged and put a firm header just over from Stephen Ward's cross.
A mistake by former England international defender Matthew Upson led to Wigan breaking the deadlock on 21 minutes through McArthur, who burst through before beating Kuszczak.
Midfielder McCann increased the lead five minutes after the break, when he ran across the penalty spot to head in Waghorn's delivery.
Brighton piled on the pressure with Orlandi driving a shot into the side-netting, before Rodriguez sent a glancing header wide.
Ulloa finally made it 2-1 when Upson headed back Orlandi's corner and the home side almost snatched a draw but Ali Al-Habsi was at his best to deny substitute Obika.
Wigan manager Uwe Rosler:
"This was a big win for us and it is dedicated to Ben Watson, who broke his leg in midweek.
"He had his operation on Friday and the reaction of the players to his injury was first class.
"They showed will power to get that win and not to get beaten.
"For the last 15 minutes it was backs to the wall and fortunately lady luck was on our side."
Brighton manager Oscar Garcia:
"We had 20 chances yet we only scored one goal. Wigan had two chances and scored two goals.
"We should have scored more than two for sure; we fully deserved to win. We dominated the whole game.
"I can take positives from the performance, but what is less positive is that we need to be more clinical in front of goal."
Line-ups
Brighton
Formation 4-3-3
- 29Kuszczak
- 2Bruno
- 17WardSubstituted forLua Luaat 70'minutes
- 6Stephens
- 3Greer
- 20Upson
- 38Ince
- 21López MorenoSubstituted forObikaat 76'minutes
- 9Rodríguez SánchezSubstituted forBuckleyat 59'minutes
- 11Orlandi
- 19Ulloa
Substitutes
- 1Brezovan
- 4Andrews
- 5Dunk
- 14Calderón
- 22Obika
- 25Lua Lua
- 30Buckley
Wigan
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26Al-Habsi
- 17Boyce
- 22BeausejourBooked at 80mins
- 4McEachranSubstituted forGómez García-Pencheat 59'minutes
- 21Ramis
- 25Barnett
- 33WaghornSubstituted forEspinozaat 73'minutes
- 7McCann
- 29Maynard
- 16McArthur
- 11McCleanSubstituted forPerchat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Holgersson
- 3Crainey
- 13Nicholls
- 14Gómez García-Penche
- 18Espinoza
- 24Perch
- 32Fortuné
- Referee:
- Carl Boyeson
- Attendance:
- 27,490
Match Stats
Home TeamBrightonAway TeamWigan
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home23
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away2
- Corners
- Home10
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Wigan Athletic 2.
Post update
Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Roger Espinoza (Wigan Athletic).
Post update
Foul by Bruno (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Iván Ramis (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Matthew Upson (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andrea Orlandi with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Chris McCann.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Emmerson Boyce.
Post update
Attempt blocked. William Buckley (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bruno.
Post update
Attempt missed. Rohan Ince (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Kazenga Lua Lua.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jonathan Obika (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Bruno.
Post update
Attempt saved. William Buckley (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Leonardo Ulloa.
Post update
Leonardo Ulloa (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Emmerson Boyce (Wigan Athletic).
Post update
Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Matthew Upson tries a through ball, but Leonardo Ulloa is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt saved. Leonardo Ulloa (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jonathan Obika (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Leonardo Ulloa with a cross.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jonathan Obika (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Post update
Foul by William Buckley (Brighton and Hove Albion).
