Report by Dave Seddon, Wigan Evening Post

A SIMPLE piece of advice to supporters watching games between Wigan and Millwall is don't leave early!

Last season's Auto Windscreens Shield final saw Latics smatch a 93rd minute winner, while down at the New Den back in August, the Lions came back from the dead to score three goals in the last few minutes to earn a 3-3 draw.

And there was another late, late show at the JJB Stadium on Saturday when Michael O'Neill hit an 88th minute goal to prevent Latics slipping to their second succesive league defeat.

A number of fans had already headed for the exit gate in order to beat the traffic when O'Neill scored, and how they must be kicking themselves.

John Benson's lad have dug themselves out of a few holes this season, and coming from behind to snatch a win or draw has become something of a party piece.

But the hole they found themselves in against their South London visitors really took some digging.

Latics were forced to play with 10 men for 73 minutes after Stuart Balmer was sent off for handling on the line.

They found themselves behind early in the second half when David Livermore headed Millwall in front.

Many teams would have folded and accepted their fate, dismissing the result as "one of those day."

Latics are made of sterner stuff though, and O'Neill's scrambled equaliser was testimony to that.

While the Irish midfielder was the hero at one end of the pitch, his fellow countryman Roy Carroll carried off the plaudits at the other.

The young goalkeeper pulled off a string of fine stops, and saved the penalty awarded against Latics for Balmer's handball.

Apart from the spot kick block, I counted SIX other top class saves from the gloves of the Northern Ireland Under 21 keeper.

It's no wonder a number of clubs in England and Scotland are rumored to be keeping tabs on his progress.

Suspensions, injury and illness saw a much changed Latics line up from the one which suffered defeat against Oldham eight days earlier.

Simon Haworth was sat in the stand serving a one game ban and Carl Bradshaw joined him because of a calf strain.

Even worse was that Andy Liddell was tucked up in bed with a Lemsip and a box of tissues after going down with the 'flu.

Alan McLoughlin played despite having a chest infection, while Arjan de Zeeuw overcame a family problem to take his place.

Benson shuffled the pack, with de Zeeuw, Balmer and Pat McGibbon forming a three man central defence, while Jeff Peron partnered the recalled Stuart Barlow in attack.

A lively start to the game saw an unmarked Livermore head over the bar from Ifill's eighth minute corner - Latics should have heeded the warning - while veteran keeper Nigel Spink made a fine one handed save to keep out Barlow's far post header five minutes later.

Unlike the majority of teams visiting Wigan this season, Millwall weren't prepared to sit back and allow Latics to come at them.

And their attacking policy should have paid dividends after 17 minutes.

Paul Moody beat Carroll to Ricky Newman's right wing cross and his looping header dropped towards goal.

Balmer got back on line but as he shaped to clear, the ball zipped up off the turf, hit his chest and then struck his arm.

Referee Kevin Lynch - remember him against Bristol Rovers a couple of years back - pointed to the spot and then reached for the red card from his top pocket.

Off trooped a dejected Stuart Balmer, but his spirits were raised a few moments later when Carroll blocked Moody's penalty with his legs.

Carroll was called into the action in the 27th minute, saving Paul Shaw's angled shot after the lively striker had got the better of de Zeeuw.

And Shaw was denied by Carroll once more with six minutes of the first half remaining.

A long punt out of the Millwall defence was misjudged by de Zeeuw allowing Shaw a free run into the box, but Carroll spread himself to block the ex-Arsenal forward's shot.

Moments later, the keeper saved Livermore's low shot at the foot of the post, and just before half time, he turned a volley from Paul Ifill round the woodwork.

But he could do nothing to prevent Millwall taking the lead four minutes into the second period.

Ifill swung a corner from the right deep into the box, and LIVERMORE rose unchallenged to direct a header into thenet via the far post from six yards.

It sent Millwall's 1,500 followers - sureley the loudest set of away fans this season and the reason for a huge police turn out - into raptures and prompted a rendition of their favourite song "No one likes us, we don't care."

Latics had a golden chance to get on level terms just 60 seconds later when Peron crossed from the by-line to the far post only for Barlow to head over the bar from four yards.

Carroll pulled off another fine save just after the hour, tipping Moody's close range header over the angle of the post and bar, while at the other end, substitute Darren Sheridan fired a 25 yard free kick straight into Spink's arms.

The final half hour belonged to Latics as they desperately searched for an equaliser.

Barlow missed his kick in front of goal from a Peron cross, and later saw a left foot shot deflect off Stuart Nethercott's boot and loop over the bar.

In a last roll of the dice by Benson, Gareth Griffiths replaced Roberto Martinez, with de Zeeuw pushed up front.

And the switch of de Zeeuw from defence to attack paid off with two minutes of normal time remaining.

Birthday boy Scott Green launched a long throw-in from the left touch line into the box, de Zeeuw flicked it on at the near post, and O'NEILL arrived in the six yard box to force the ball home.