Camara lifts Latics gloom

The Senegal international striker replaced the ineffectual Olivier Kapo at half-time and needed just six minutes to rifle home a clinical low shot after a delightful piece of skill from Antonio Valencia.

It proved enough to give Steve Bruce's men only their second home league win of the season and their first since beating Manchester City 2-1 almost two months ago.

Tim Cahill spurned an opportunity in the fifth minute when he headed Mikel Arteta's corner wastefully over the crossbar from eight yards out.

Yakubu then showed some delightful footwork and a neat turn of pace to engineer the space to drive a low shot into the heart of the Wigan defence, but Paul Scharner was alert to the danger and cleared for a corner.

But Bruce's decision to replace the ineffectual Kapo with Camara proved inspired. The Senegal forward was clearly up for it and was the quickest to react when Valencia's individual skill handed him a goal on a plate six minutes after the restart.

Valencia drove at Joleon Lescott, slipping the ball between the England defender's legs with a cheeky nutmeg before spotting Camara lurking at the far post.

Valencia slid a vicious low cross across the face of goal and there was Camara to rifle the ball home in predatory fashion.

Bruce celebrated with a punch of the air pitchside and Camara blew kisses to the jubilant Latics supporters.

Cahill had a golden chance to earn a point in injury-time - but he shot over the bar and victory was Wigan's.