Premier League: Wigan 3 Reading 2

24 November 2012 18:12

Jordi Gomez scored a hat-trick as Wigan secured their fourth win of the season with a 3-2 result over Reading at the DW Stadium.

The Royals took the lead in the 35th minute as Sean Morrison rose highest in the penalty area above several Latics defenders to head the ball into the top corner.

Roberto Martinez's men levelled when former Swansea man Gomez tapped in from close range in the 57th minute. He doubled his tally for the day when he headed Jean Beausejour's cross home to give the Latics the lead 11 minutes later.

Just as the hosts thought they had the lead secure, goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi put the ball into his own net as he attempted to push Hal Robson-Kanu's shot over the bar.

The drama didn't end there however, as Gomez completed his second-half hat-trick in injury time as he lifted the ball into the top corner to give Wigan all three points.

The Latics were enjoying the majority of possession in the early stages and should have taken the lead in the 12th minute as Beausejour found space down the left and hit a sublime cross into the box for Arouna Kone who somehow missed a free header from six yards.

Minutes later, Kone again should have given his side the lead when he was put through one-on-one with Reading shot-stopper Adam Federici, but his effort was cleared off the line by Chris Gunter.

Wigan were made to pay for their lack of clinical in front of goal as McDermott's side took the lead through Morrison who rose highest in the area to score from Nicky Shorey's pinpoint free-kick.

The home side should have got an equaliser almost immediately as Beausejour fed Gomez who drove into the Royals' box and rounded the challenge of Kaspars Gorkss but when he finally shot his effort went well over the bar.

Martinez's side almost had the perfect start to the second-half as substitute Franco Di Santo raced onto Gomez's through ball but the Argentine was denied by an excellent save from Federici .

The home side finally got the goal they deserved, after a great attacking move down the left saw Beausejour and Di Santo combine to set up the midfielder Gomez, whose first effort was saved by Federici but he showed awareness to knock in the rebound.

Reading almost regained their advantage immediately and Wigan were indebted to Al-Habsi who made a great save to deny Adam Le Fondre as his header looked certain to hit the back of the net.

This time the Latics made the visitors pay for their missed opportunity as Gomez scored his and Wigan's second of the day as he headed Beausejour's deep cross past Federici at the back-post into the top corner.

In an end-to-end game the Royals were gifted an equaliser by a bizarre moment from Al-Habsi as he knocked the ball into his own net as he attempted to clear the Robson-Kanu's blocked effort over the bar.

However, in the dying seconds Gomez picked up the ball in midfield and drove down the pitch. He fed Kone who returned the pass and the Spaniard fired his shot into the top corner to seal the win.