Wigan Brings Unhappy Memories!

Att: 20,304

For the second successive season a Ryan Taylor free-kick proved to be the undoing of an inept Newcastle side again booed and jeered by their own die-hard fans come the final whistle.

Taylor grabbed the winner in spectacular fashion just after the hour to continue Wigan's revival under new boss Steve Bruce as the Latics have taken eight points from his five matches in charge.

But for Allardyce, who was rumoured to be close to being on his way out prior to a face-saving draw against Arsenal earlier this month followed by wins over Birmingham and Fulham, the dark days have returned.

By the Magpies standards this was another miserable affair coming hot on the heels of a desperate home draw against Derby on Sunday.

They failed to muster a single shot on or off target during the opening 45 minutes, and just one overall throughout the 90, and even then that was fortuitous.

That was despite the fact Allardyce opted to ring the changes in the wake of the debacle against Derby.

Joey Barton and David Rozehnal were axed, while Nicky Butt, Obafemi Martins and Claudio Cacapa were all relegated to the bench.

Allardyce's line-up at first appeared an attacking one as Damien Duff was handed his first start since April after recovering from a broken foot.

With Mark Viduka, Alan Smith and James Milner all starting, there was the threat of goals, in particular against another of the top-flight's strugglers and worst defences.

But Allardyce played Smith in a holding role in front of the back four, his fourth different position this season since his £6million summer move from Manchester United.

Smith, who was also surprisingly handed the captain's armband ahead of the returning Geremi, has previously played in attack, on the wing and in central midfield.

It effectively left Viduka on his own up front and the Australian, who grabbed both of Newcastle's goals against the Rams, found no space against the Latics rearguard.

That was underlined by a chorus of 'attack, attack, attack' from the frustrated massed ranks of the Magpies fans at the half-hour mark.

By that stage Newcastle had ventured into the Wigan area on just three occasions, failing to add to that tally by the close of the first half which was greeted by more boos.

Wigan were little better, but then their cause is a different one as they are merely scrapping for every point they can glean in a bid to haul themselves out of the bottom three.

Following Smith's foul on Michael Brown outside the area, Taylor - a right back operating on the left wing - whipped a right-footed shot over the wall and into the top left-hand corner of Given's net.