Portsmouth 4-0 Wigan: Aruna Dindane grabs Pompey hat-trick in rout
Published 17:15 31/10/09 By By Mirror Football
Portsmouth remain anchored at the foot of the Barclays Premier League but got a rare chance to smile with a 4-0 demolition of Wigan at Fratton Park.
Loan stars Aruna Dindane and Frederic Piquionne did the damage as debt-ridden Pompey stretched their unbeaten run to three games.
Dindane, on-loan from Lens, grabbed a superb hat-trick. He put them ahead in the 35th minute and Piquionne, on-loan from Lyon, added a second on the stroke of half-time.
Dindane then scored twice more to seal a fine win for the home side but Piquionne was carried off on a stretcher with a head injury.
David James returned in goal with Jamie O'Hara, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Steve Finnan and Tal Ben Haim also restored to the starting line-up.
Wigan made one change from the side which ended Burnley's 100% home record last weekend. Maynor Figueroa was sidelined with a knee injury so on-loan Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair made his first Premier League start.
Portsmouth almost made the perfect start when Kevin-Prince Boateng fired just over the crossbar inside the opening minute.
Pompey, 4-0 victors over Stoke in the Carling Cup in midweek, enjoyed a bright opening and a corner from Jamie O'Hara was almost turned home by Hassan Yebda.
O'Hara looked particularly lively and the midfielder sent an angled drive across the face of the goal in the sixth minute.
There was much concern for Wigan when Hugo Rodallega careered over the advertising boards after trying to cross the ball into the six-yard box.
The Wigan midfielder required lengthy treatment to an arm injury before being allowed to continue.
But it was still the home side making most of the running, with O'Hara firing a 20-yard shot straight into the arms of Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland.
Portsmouth continued to dominate the opening half but when O'Hara swung over a right-wing corner in the 23rd minute, the home side could not force the ball home.
O'Hara was looking very impressive in the Pompey midfield but he was not pleased with a 24th-minute effort which found the roof of the stand from 20 yards.
Another O'Hara corner forced Kirkland into a one-handed save that almost found its way into his own net, but fortunately for the visiting keeper it ran out for another flag-kick.
Boateng was just too high again when he let fly from 25 yards in the 28th minute but Pompey's pressure was beginning to tell.
Kirkland required two attempts to hold a shot from Frederic Piquionne moments later as the home side pressed forward.
Rodallega wasted a good chance for Wigan on the half-hour when the visitors won a free-kick 25 yards out in a central position - the Wigan midfielder sent his curling shot high over the crossbar.
Ppmpey finally broke the deadlock in the 35th minute with a simple goal.
Michael Brown split the Wigan defence with a fine through-ball into the path of Aruna Dindane, who outpaced Mario Melchiot and flicked the ball over the advancing Kirkland for his first Premier League goal.
Pompey lost full-back Steve Finnan through injury in the 40th minute and he was replaced by Nadir Belhadj.
Moments later Wigan found a way through the Pompey defence but Jason Scotland's shot eventually finished closer to the corner flag than the home goal.
Pompey made the visitors pay the price in first-half injury-time when Dindane put Piquionne through and the striker ran clear before beating Kirkland with a low drive.
Piquionne was a constant threat but he squandered a great chance to get his second of the game moments after the re-start.
But the striker, on loan from Lyon, hesitated to get his shot away and Wigan's defence cleared the danger.
In the 55th minute Pompey almost added a third but Dindane's shot was deflected for a corner.
Pompey then lost Piquionne through injury moments later and he was replaced by Kanu. Piquionne appeared to suffer a head injury in a challenge with Emmerson Boyce and Titus Bramble.
The Pompey striker appeared to get up initially but then went down again and was eventually stretchered off with his head and neck supported in a brace.
Dindane then missed a sitter in the 61st minute when he failed to connect with O'Hara's free-kick on the edge of the six-yard box.
Luckily for Wigan, Kirkland had his wits about him and managed to save well before Dindane could react again.
But Dindane atoned for his error in the 64th minute when he tapped home a cross from Kanu at the far post to put Pompey 3-0 in front.
Yebda then went close from another pinpoint O'Hara free-kick as the home side went looking for more goals.
Wigan tried to get back into the game but Charles N'Zogbia fired high and wide when he burst through the home defence.
But Pompey scored four for the second time in as many days when Kanu was brought down by Boyce and Dindane completed his hat-trick from the spot.
