Wigan Athletic vs. Fulham

The home side had dominated and taken the lead through Emmerson Boyce but were thwarted by Fulham's keeper Mark Schwarzer.

Dempsey was brought down by Titus Bramble to win a spot kick on the stroke of half time and dusted himself down to beat Chris Kirkland.

Chances came cheaply, almost by the dozen, particularly once Erik Nevland guided Bobby Zamora’s chip, agonisingly, onto the inside of Chris Kirkland’s post. Such a chance opened the floodgates. The hosts took the lead two minutes later, Paul Scharner nodding Erik Edman’s deep cross down to Emmerson Boyce to bundle home. The celebrations had not died down when Charles N’Zogbia, in sparkling form, cut inside and curled a left-footed shot onto Mark Schwarzer’s fingertips and then, agonisingly, the bar.

Fulham fought back, though. Nevland had already glanced a header over and Damien Duff’s control betrayed him as he looked to take advantage of a Titus Bramble moment - the defender, for reasons known only to himself, teeing him up perfectly on the edge of the Wigan box - when Bramble felled Dempsey in the box and the American stepped up to convert the incontrovertible spot-kick.

That may have been it for goals, but it was not for want of trying.

An amazing double save by Kirkland kept the scores level as Dempsey and Jonathan Greening both denied the Wigan keeper.

Dempsey's wickedly-struck free-kick was pushed aside by Kirkland and he was still prone as Greening pounced on the follow-up, somehow managing to get his hands up in time to turn away the shot.

Thereafter, it was all Wigan, who created a succession of opportunities that deserved to bring victory. Mark Schwarzer saved two headers from corners, first from Bramble and later from Scharner, and also kept out Boyce's low shot after his 40-yard run had promised to bring a thrilling finish to slick interplay from Melchiot and Scharner.

Wigan also had half-hearted appeals for a penalty after Rodallega's shot struck Chris Baird on the edge of the area, but they were given short shrift by the referee, Phil Dowd. It all ended as we suspected it might.