HT Wigan 0-1 Fulham: Dempsey's smash-and-grab

Fulham staged a smash-and-grab raid to take the lead at the DW Stadium through Clint Dempsey at the end of a first half that had been dominated by their opponents Wigan.

Mark Schwarzer tipped over a Ben Watson volley while Gary Caldwell put a free header over the bar as the Latics went in search of an end to their seven-match losing streak.

But, with four minutes to go in the first half, Danny Murphy launched a Fulham break and Bobby Zamora crossed for Clint Dempsey to convert.

Roberto Martinez and Martin Jol named unchanged sides for the Barclays Premier League clash between fellow strugglers Wigan and Fulham at the DW Stadium.

Martinez had hoped to be able to recall James McCarthy and Franco Di Santo after hamstring problems but the former missed out altogether while leading scorer Di Santo was on the bench.

Wigan began the game two points and two places below their opponents, with both teams looking for only a second league victory of the season.

The form book provided little to cheer for either side, with Wigan on a run of seven successive defeats, six of them in the Premier League, while Fulham had picked up only one point away from Craven Cottage.

It was the visitors who started the brighter, with Andrew Johnson and Moussa Dembele looking dangerous, but the Wigan defence ensured Ali Al Habsi was not tested.

Wigan's main concern early on was for the health of midfielder Mohamed Diame, who received treatment to his leg for some time after a strong challenge from Steve Sidwell.

The Senegal international was briefly able to return but his movement was clearly inhibited and he limped off after only 13 minutes to be replaced by James McArthur.

Moments later Wigan managed their first effort on goal but David Jones' shot lacked pace and was easily claimed by Mark Schwarzer, while Victor Moses ended a jinking run by firing over from a tight angle.

The hosts looked decent in possession and Jones possibly should have done better than guide a shot a couple of yards wide after Emmerson Boyce had engineered a crossing opportunity on the right.

Suddenly it was all Wigan, and another Boyce cross was acrobatically hooked high and wide by Hugo Rodallega.

The Latics were back on the attack again and it was left-back Maynor Figueroa who caused chaos in the Fulham defence with a charging run before laying the ball back to Albert Crusat.

His cross was cleared but only to Ben Watson on the edge of the box, and his volley was sharply tipped over the bar by Schwarzer. From the resulting corner, captain Gary Caldwell was left unmarked eight yards out but could only head over.

After an uninspiring beginning, the game had opened up, and Johnson might have done better than shoot weakly at Al Habsi when he found himself in space on the right of the area.

There was a heart-in-the-mouth moment for Schwarzer when he fumbled Moses' low cross-shot but, with Rodallega waiting, the ball bounced just past the post.

Wigan had paid for a failure to turn their dominance into goals at Newcastle last week, and so it proved again in the 41st minute when Clint Dempsey put Fulham ahead.

Danny Murphy launched a quick break by finding Bobby Zamora out on the left and his low cross was perfect for Dempsey, whose shot bounced into the net despite the best efforts of Al Habsi.

Still Wigan could have been level at half-time as Moses got a foot to Watson's shot but, with Schwarzer struggling, the ball flew just the wrong side of the post.