Wigan 1-1 Stoke: The Daily Mirror match report
Published 22:46 09/02/10 By Alan Nixon
Tenacious Turk Tuncay stuck at it for Stoke and saved a point in a fightback full of genuine character - and no little skill.
Tuncay led the line heroically but wasted the chances that came his way until he nodded home the equaliser that rewarded the persistence he and his mates had shown.
Roberto Martinez's Wigan had threatened to run away with the game but were left to count the cost of another couple of points thrown away as they stay in the survival struggle.
The only consolation for the Latics was that it could have been worse - with big Mama Sidibe sending a late header onto the bar as Stoke came within fractions of just their second away win of the season.
Tony Pulis' men undoubtedly finished stronger, a worry for Wigan as it is becoming a recurring theme. Martinez has a good starting eleven but some of the men underneath are short of what is required.
Pulis beamed: "Tuncay could have had four goals tonight, he is a terrific player with great ability. He gives us that little bit different along with Matthew Etherington and Ricardo Fuller.
"Those lads can do things off the cuff, but I am also pleased with the commitment we showed in the second half. We were very sloppy early on and Wigan were in control."
Martinez's side made a purposeful start that led to bookings for Ryan Shawcross and Etherington whose sneaky off-the-ball swipe at Charles N'Zogbia proved to be very costly.
The French winger picked himself up and pinged a perfect free kick towards the box. Paul Scharner rose majestically and powered a header beyond Thomas Sorensen for the sweetest of openers.
Wigan were outstanding in midfield where James McCarthy is living up to his reputation as a teenage prodigy while N'Zogbia caused chaos. Pulis had to change his back four to cope, with skipper Danny Higginbotham needing help.
However talented Tuncay sensed he could beat Gary Caldwell for skill. The Scot was booked for tripping him on the edge of the box and escaped when he tugged at the Turk again - with Pulis yelling for a red card on the touchline.
Robert Huth was also yellow-carded for fouling Hugo Rodallega as Wigan kept up their successful campaign of running at Stoke's uncompromising back line to put them off.
But the Potters showed plenty of spirit and kept going with Tuncay fluffing a half-chance to pull them level, but his enthusiasm and commitment kept his side going.
Wigan lost hamstring victim McCarthy and his drive and creation, but they dug deep and had to as stubborn Stoke hung on to the hope that there was a rare away goal in the chill wind.
Amazingly Stoke have only managed to score four times on their travels in this season of improvement. Fuller came on in a bid to change that poor statistic.
Rodallega was inches from a goal of the season contender with an outrageous bicycle kick that just landed over the bar - with Sorensen fearing another Maynor Figueroa-style moment.
Fuller got in for an angled shot that Chris Kirkland saved with his feet before Tuncay's wild swing and miss summed up his night of promise and frustration at that stage.
Stoke made very positive substitutions and James Beattie also went close to snatching a winner when he came on and crashed a shot that gave Kirkland his biggest test - which he passed with a diving save.
Martinez groaned: "I'm disappointed we didn't get a second goal, we were well worth the lead. We just got a bit anxious in the second half, Stoke had nothing to lose and threw bodies forward."
Meanwhile Pulis revealed Fuller wants to get the charges dropped after his nightclub incident. He said: "We hope the lad will come forward."
