Wigan Athletic 0 - 1 Bristol City: Bristol City out of relegation zone after Flint goal seals win at Wigan
Posted Sunday, March 12, 2017 by PA
Defender Aden Flint popped up with the only goal two minutes from time to give Bristol City a crucial 1-0 Sky Bet Championship victory at fellow strugglers Wigan.
With both sides in the bottom three before kick-off, it was a predictably tight game of few chances at the DW Stadium.
But with time almost up, Flint stabbed home from a yard to lift City out of the drop zone at Blackburn's expense - and leave Wigan four points adrift of safety with only nine games to go.
Former Manchester United winger Gabriel Obertan, making his first home start for Wigan, was quickly into the game, taking a nice ball from Omar Bogle before advancing into the area.
However, City defender Bailey Wright was across in a flash and produced a perfect block tackle.
Wigan threatened again on the 15-minute mark when Callum Connolly floated over a free-kick that found the head of Jake Buxton, although the big defender was unable to find colleague Dan Burn who was in a better position.
Within seconds, City threatened for the first time when former Latics man David Cotterill crossed only for Matty Taylor to head well over from close range.
The opening goal almost arrived midway through the half when the unlikely figure of David Perkins lined up a shot from 20 yards, which beat the City goalkeeper only to hit the bar on the way over.
Wigan came close again on the half-hour mark when Michael Jacobs fed Bogle, who forced a fine save from goalkeeper Frank Fielding.
Another nice move from Wigan saw Perkins find Obertan through the left channel, although the defence were continuing to get across and cover well.
Fielding was required again moments later to tip an Obertan header round the post after Connolly had lofted the ball back into the box.
But the visitors almost nudged ahead just before the break when Tammy Abraham thought he had half a yard inside the area, only for Matt Gilks to race off his line and smother.
The second half was much the same, with Wigan enjoying most of the ball but unable to convert that into genuine goalscoring chances.
Bogle had a snap-shot saved at one end before, seconds later, Jamie Hanson was needed to superbly time a challenge to prevent Matty Taylor racing clean through.
Wigan made three attacking substitutions to try to force a winning goal, with James Weir, Mikael Mandron and Shaun MacDonald sent on by boss Warren Joyce.
But City almost went in front with 10 minutes remaining when Wigan could not clear and Josh Brownhill fired inches wide of the far post.
The warning, however, was not heeded by Wigan and, when they failed to clear another corner with three minutes to go, they were finally punished.
Abraham could not convert from close range, but Flint bundled home from a yard to the delight of the City fans behind the goal.
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