Canaries claim Wigan win

Norwich extended their unbeaten run in the Barclays Premier League to 10 games with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Wigan at Carrow Road.

The Canaries, who were knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Aston Villa here in midweek, made it five successive home league victories to continue their remarkable turnaround with goals in each half from Anthony Pilkington and Wes Hoolahan.

Wigan, meanwhile, have now lost five of the last seven and remain in the bottom three despite equalising at the start of the second half through substitute Shaun Maloney.

Norwich went ahead after 15 minutes when Hoolahan carried the ball to the edge of the Wigan penalty area and then won a 50/50 with Emmerson Boyce to stab a pass through to Pilkington. The winger took the ball in his stride before smashing a left-foot drive past Latics keeper Ali Al Habsi and into the roof of the net.

At the other end James McArthur let fly with an angled drive which Norwich keeper Mark Bunn, replacing injured England international John Ruddy, held on to at the second attempt.

Al Habsi then produced a brilliant one-handed save to turn away a bullet header from Robert Snodgrass after left-back Javier Garrido had lofted the ball to the far post.

Wigan hauled themselves level six minutes into the second half when Arouna Kone carried the ball into the left side of the Norwich penalty area, before he pulled a pass back to the edge of the box where Maloney crashed his shot into the net.

Referee Lee Probert had been taking plenty of flak from the home fans, but played a good advantage after Snodgrass had been bodychecked and Norwich broke quickly down the left through Pilkington.

The former Huddersfield winger drove on to the goalline, where he cut back inside Boyce before delivering a teasing cross, which Hoolahan headed past Al Habsi on 64 minutes.

Bradley Johnson then tested the Wigan goalkeeper with a low effort from 20 yards, before Al Habsi produced another fine save to deny Pilkington.