Premier League: Norwich 2 Wigan 1

Norwich were mostly comfortable as they beat Wigan 2-1 in an attack-minded contest at Carrow Road.

The hosts took the lead through midfielder Anthony Pilkington in the 15th minute after good work by Wes Hoolahan after he tackled Wigan defender Emmerson Boyce on the edge of his own half and played in Pilkington, whose shot flew past Ali Al-Habsi.

The visitors equalised early in the second half thanks to a good strike by substitute Shaun Maloney before Hoolahan restored the Canaries’ lead with a header from a Pilkington cross.

The game started with a lively tempo as both sides looked to break the deadlock and it was the hosts who broke through after tenacious work by Hoolahan as he dispossessed Boyce to slide in Pilkington and his left-foot ferocious strike flew past Al-Habsi in the Wigan goal.

The home side should have doubled their lead more than once as the half went on as first Pilkington shot wide from two yards after good work by Robert Snodgrass.

Snodgrass, himself, missed from the same distance as he got his head on the end of a Javier Garrido cross only for Al-Habsi to make a good save.

Wigan finished the first half better and after good initial work by Arouna Kone saw the ball arrive at Ronnie Stam on the right-hand side, he delivered a good cross which was met by a decent header by Mauro Boselli but Mark Bunn saved easily.

It looked as though Norwich’s dominance would continue after the break as Grant Holt forced a good save from Al-Habsi from the kick-off. However, Wigan responded well and half-time substitute Maloney scored after he unleashed a powerful shot from 20 yards after a fine run by Kone down the left.

The visitors looked like a different side in the second half as they started to control the game just like Norwich did in the first, but the home side came back into it on the hour mark, and striker Holt had a good opportunity as he was unopposed in the box but his volley went wide.

And soon after the home side restored their lead after great work down the left by Pilkington, turning Boyce inside and out, and he crossed for Hoolahan to head home.

A third goal looked to be on the way for the home side as first Bradley Johnson, then Pilkington were both denied by great saves by Al-Habsi and the Canaries held on to move above Arsenal in the Premier League.