Wigan Athletic 0 Middlesbrough 1

BORO left it late and England manager Fabio Capello missed it, but an 89th minute Jeremie Aliadiere strike was enough to earn their first away win since December, writes GORDON COX from the JJB Stadium.

Gareth Southgate made two changes after the defeat at home to West Brom as Robert Huth and Andrew Taylor missed the game with ankle and hip problems respectively.

In came Chris Riggott and Jonathan Grounds, recalled in midweek from a loan spell at Norwich.

Lee Cattermole won his week-long fitness battle and started the game in a side which showed one change from the one which beat Manchester City. Emerson Boyce woke this morning with a stiff neck and was replaced by Paul Scharner, a team-mate of Emanuel Pogatetz at international level.

There was a scare in the pre-match warm-up as Stewart Downing appeared to turn awkwardly and looked in some pain. He was immediately treated by Boro physio Chris Moseley and limped around for a few minutes.

He proved his wellbeing with a powerful run down the left as he took on Mario Melchiot, but he was unlucky with bounce of the ball just as it looked like he was about to win a corner.

Cattermole put himself about to good effect in the early exchanges, generally getting the better of his former team-mates. He was instrumental in setting up Wilson Palacios with six minutes played, a cracking tackle from Riggott just inside the penalty area preventing any further progress.

Palacios was again the tormentor when Wigan next pressed, the Honduran firing a low shot across the face of goal and wide.

Jeremie Aliadiere set off down the left in Boro's next attack, doing well to hold off Melchiot before pulling a low cross back into the penalty area but it was easily dealt with.

Both sides looked to be playing well within themselves, neither stretched nor stretching, although the home side looked the more adventurous and a fierce drive from Antonio Valencia didn't clear the bar by much.

As the pace of the game increased both sides went close to scoring as Downing just cleared the bar from a 25-yard free-kick and then Amr Zaki sent a rising shot on the turn fizzing just over.

A deflected Palacios shot went just wide from the edge of the box, as did a low Gary O'Neil drive before a looping header from David Wheater rising to meet a right-wing cross floated half a yard past Chris Kirkland's left-hand post.

Twice in three minutes Shawky was clattered with challenges which brought yellow cards for Zaki and Cattermole and the Egyptian hobbled his way to half-time.

Neither goalkeeper was overworked in the first half. However, Ross Turnbull had to fly away to his left to make sure the worst result from a powerful, deflected Zaki drive was a corner and ensure Boro remained the only side not to concede a first half goal in the Premier League this season.

Half-time: Wigan Athletic 0 Middlesbrough 0

After an open start to the second half, Wigan created a great chance to take the lead as Valencia crossed low from the right, a clearance fell to Palacios and he blazed well over from just inside the penalty area.

Emile Heskey was next to threaten, but he curled wide from the left-hand edge of the penalty area after a tidy turn.

Boro needed to up their game and they did. It was a controlled performance, but one which had lacked a cutting edge.

However, within the space of a minute Aliadiere, having delayed shooting, eventually brought a save from Chris Kirkland before substitute Didier Digard - on for Shawky just short of the hour-mark - followed in hoping to pick up the pieces, but his effort was smothered.

Downing was next to have a go but his powerful, 25-yard right-footed shot just cleared the bar.

The hopes of a sizeable Boro following were increasing as their team settled to play some neat football, although the first shot on target in the game came from Palacios on 66 minutes when he fired straight at Turnbull from 25 yards after being set up by Heskey.

Save number two came a few minutes later as Turnbull fell away to his right to grab a low drive from the right-hand edge of the penalty area, again from Palacios.

The home side began to win more possession, but Riggott and Wheater coped well in the middle and Grounds turned in an assured display on his return to top flight football.

They were nearly undone 10 minutes from time as substitute Koumas snaked his way across from the left past three players before sending a reverse shot goalbound from the edge of the box which Turnbull, well positioned, saved well away to his right.

But the drama was left to the end as Boro snatched victory.

In the 89th minute Digard swung in a cross from the right and Downing headed down into the path of Jeremie Aliadiere, who slotted a low shot past Kirkland from just inside the penalty area.

Wigan Athletic: Kirkland; Melchiot (Capt), Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Valencia, Palacios (De Ridder 85), Cattermole, Kapo (Koumas 67), Heskey, Zaki (Camara 80). Unused subs: Pollitt (gk); Taylor, Kilbane, Brown.

Middlesbrough: Turnbull; Hoyte, Riggott, Wheater, Grounds, Aliadiere, O'Neil, Shawky (Digard 58), Downing (Capt), Alves (A Johnson 79), Mido. Unused subs: Jones (gk); J Johnson, Emnes, Walker, Craddock.

Referee: Martin Atkinson, Leeds, West Yorkshire

Bookings

Wigan Athletic: Zaki, 36, foul on Shawky; Cattermole, 38, foul on Shawky; Scharner, 56, foul on Alves.

Middlesbrough: None

Attendance: 16,806

Conditions: Damp, overcast and very cool.

Website Boro Man of the Match: Chris Riggott