West Brom 3 Wigan 1: Big Match Verdict
Two goals from Marc-Antoine Fortune and another from Chris Brunt breathed new life into West Brom's bid to escape relegation as they beat Wigan 3-1 at the Hawthorns.
Fortune's eighth-minute header was cancelled out by Hugo Rodallega's deflected free-kick but after the break Brunt converted his own penalty rebound and Fortune made the points safe in the 73rd minute.
The win, the Baggies' second in three matches, lifts them to 31 points and just three from safety.
However, their goal difference is currently inferior to Hull's and it may yet require four points from their final two matches to pull off the Great Escape.
If there is a growing belief at the Hawthorns, the opposite is happening at Wigan who seem to be coasting towards the end of the season having secured their top-flight future more than a month ago.
Their problem since the turn of the year has been scoring goals and that lack of confidence showed early on.
Rodallega volleyed wide and Antonio Valencia opted to pass rather than shoot with only goalkeeper Dean Kiely - in for the injured Scott Carson - to beat.
They were made to pay in the eighth minute when Brunt's square pass into the penalty area caught out the visiting defence, allowing Gianni Zuiverloon to shoot.
Chris Kirkland did well to parry but succeeded in only diverting it up in the air where the unmarked Fortune gratefully headed home.
It was Kirkland's last action as he went off injured moments later to be replaced by Richard Kingson.
By contrast, West Brom's second-string goalkeeper made a brilliant triple save at a Wigan corner when he blocked Charles N'Zogbia's first shot, saved Paul Scharner's rebound and turned N'Zogbia's close-range follow-up around the post.
It was not long before Kingson was in the game, however, palming Menseguez's shot wide after the on-loan Argentinian had put Titus Bramble on his backside with a neat turn in the penalty area.
