Report by Dave Seddon, Wigan Evening Post

PERHAPS it is time the Latics' supporters terrace anthem of "You are my Sunshine" is replaced by "Let me entertain you."

Three pieces of clinical finishing against Bristol Rovers not only fired John Benson's boys back to the top of the table, but also confirmed them as the Second Division's leading scorers.

In fact, only Manchester United, Ipswich Town and Barnsley have hit the back of the net more times than Latics in league football this season.

This was the fourth league game of the campaign they scored three or more goals over 90 minutes following on from the victories over Scunthorpe and Preston, and the draw at Millwall.

That's value for money in anyone's book, hence the suggestion of a change of club song!

Joking aside, this was a big game for Latics to win after 12 frustrating days of inactivity.

Bristol Rovers started the day as table toppers and arrived at the JJB Stadium boasting the meaest defence in the division and the dangerous strike pair of Jason Roberts and Jamie Cureton.

With Simon Haworth, Stuart Barlow and Andy Liddell lining up in opposition, the game had been billed as a battle of the sharp-shooters, and it fully lived up to expectations.

Haworth, Barlow and Roberts got their names on the scoresheet with fine goals, Liddell worked his socks off all afternoon, with perhaps Cureton the only disappointment of the five front men on duty.

Bearing this in mind, attack rather than defence was the order of the day, with a host of chances created at either end.

And Benson was quite correct when he admitted the final scoreline could have ended up 7-5 in Latics' favour!

Latics showed just the one change from their last run out against Cambridge, with Mark Bowen returning to the side at left back, and Darren Sheridan moving forward into midfield to replace the injured Andy Porter.

Benson resisted the tempatation to bring the fit again Arjan De Zeeuw and Kevin Sharp back into the squad, citing a lack of match fitness as the reason, but Carl Bradshaw was handed a place on the bench following his rapid recovery from a hernia op.

Despite almost a fortnight without a game, it didn't take long for Latics to settle and got their noses in front after only eight minutes.

Rovers' Steve Foster tugged at the shirt sleeve of Liddell as he steamed forward from midfield, conceding a free kick thirty yards out and earning himself a yellow card.

SHERIDAN stepped up and let fly with a low shot which seemed to deceive visiting keeper Lee Jones and creep into the bottom corner.

It was the pint sized midfielder's first goal for the club and the first from a Latics midfielder this season.

THe visitors responded with Cureton heading wide at the far post in the 11th minute, while Roy Carroll did well to block a fierce shot from Roberts with his legs two minutes later.

Latics took a further stranglehold in the 22nd minute when BARLOW hit his ninth goal of the campaign.

The hitman allowed a throw-in from Bowen on the left to drop over his shoulder, the visitors defence opened up in front of him, and he unleashed a first time shot over Jones from the edge of the area into the top corner.

At the other end, Cureton had an effort from 25 yards saved by Carroll while David Pritchard hammered a free kick wide.

But Rovers pulled themselves back into the game after 29 minutes with a well worked goal. A long ball down the right wing from Trevor Challis sailed over the home defence and put Robbie Pethik in the clear.

He got to the by-line, pulled the ball back into the middle, and not for the first time in the afternoon, ROBERTS got the better of Stuart Balmer to side-foot home from close range.

A burst of excitement just after the half hour mark could have seen both sides add to the scoreline.

Haworth had a shot deflected behind for a corner after Liddell had burst upfield and fed Barlow on the left hand side of the box.

From the resulting corner, Michael O'Neill was robbed of possession by Cureton who set off on a 60 yard run.

But instead of squaring the ball to Roberts who was in acres of space, the former Norwich man opted to shoot from distance and the effort drifted well wide.

Then in the 33rd minute, Scott Green's cross from the right wing found Barlow, he slipped it into the path of Haworth, but the Welsh striker's shot was parried by the keeper into the path of Bowen who fired wide.

The pace in the second half didn't quite match that of the first, but chances were still create at either end.

In the 58th minute, Jones had to scramble the ball clear from the feet of Barlow as he homed in on Howarth's knock down.

Then Rovers came within a whisker of equalising when David Hillier's corner was flicked on by Andy Tilson and Foster headed over from six yards when scoring looked easier.

It proved a costly miss for the visitors as Latics hit their third goal to seal victory in the 71st minute.

Haworth and Ronnie Mauge challenged or high ball 25 yards out, and the Rover's midfielder appeared to get the better of the dual.

But HAWORTH was the first to react to the loose ball and cracked a stunning first time shot over Jones.

It was a goal which could have graced a game at a higher level - the shot had very little back-lift but still screamed into the net.

Rovers should have reduced the arrears three minutes later, but substitute Gary Penrice blazed a shot high over the bar from eight yards after good work by Roberts had set him up.

In the closing stages, Green chipped a shot just over the bar, while Barlow was a coat of boot polish away from connecting with Liddell's pass across the face of goal.

Three points, three goals and back to the top of the table for the third time this season - that's entertainment for you!