Martinez takes ´great pleasure´ from Wigan triumph

Roberto Martinez could not hide his delight with Wigan’s 2-1 away win at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Martinez’s side climbed off the foot of the English Premier League table and out of the relegation zone with their win at The Hawthorns, with Victor Moses and Jordi Gomez – from the penalty spot – getting on the scoresheet for the victors.

What made Wigan’s win even more impressive was that they had to come from behind, after Steven Reid gave West Brom an early lead.

When asked if the result gave his team a lift, Martinez said: “It does, I think more than anything it is the performance. It wasn’t an easy game we knew were coming to a place that West Brom can create a real momentum and use the crowd really well.”

“We’ve had to cope with the hardest thing in football, going one goal behind to a fantastic piece of skill from a free-kick.”

“I thought we kept the ball really well, we looked like a team that was playing with real confidence and to do that when you are bottom of the table, it gives you a great pleasure.”

Martinez hailed the impact of Moses, who quickly levelled proceedings after Reid’s free-kick.

“I don’t think he’s had a bad spell yet. This season he’s been very consistent,” he said.

“I felt the first goal, the finish is as good as you’re going to get in this league. I know that sometimes as a player, playing for Wigan Athletic, you’re not going to get as much credit as playing for other clubs.”

“But the way that he has been working on a daily basis, he has huge potential and I have no doubt he is going to fulfil it.”

West Brom manager Roy Hodgson was disappointed with the result but pleased by his side’s performance, despite the surprising defeat.

“We can’t play a lot better, especially the second-half performance,” Hodgson said.

“We went a goal down to the penalty and after that they were not in our half let alone our final third. We tried everything, it’s one of those matches where you find it hard to assess things.”

“Losing at home to a team that is below you should fill you with a lot of regret and anger, but I can’t criticise anything of the performance. If we can agree we can play like that every week for the next 24 games, I would be quite happy.”