Morris swoops to keep Wigan off top

Derby County 2 Wigan Athletic

Derby's spirited fightback to deny Wigan a return to the top of the First Division was overshadowed by yet another volley of complaint towards a match official.

It was Wigan's manager, Paul Jewell, who grumbled loudest, particularly about the penalty award that let Derby back into the match after falling two goals behind. But his Derby counterpart, George Burley, left the field looking equally bemused.

"I don't like to come here and talk about the referee," Jewell said at the post-match press conference. "But me and George are doing our heads in out there. The referee has changed the game by his decisions. We risk landing ourselves in trouble by criticising, sometimes just by telling the truth. As far as I'm concerned, if that was a penalty then I'm a Chinaman, but if I rant about it then I'll be in the dock.

"But something has to be done because nothing ever changes. I'd like managers to have access to the assessor's report, perhaps in midweek when everyone has calmed down, and have the chance to comment then."

Referee Phil Prosser's penalty award, after Andy Liddell had appeared to put Wigan in comfortable control with two free-kick goals in the first 30 minutes, came when Derby's captain Ian Taylor, his eyes on Simo Valakari's incoming cross, fell after colliding with Wigan's Tony Dinning.

Even Burley confessed he had not seen any infringement, although he had been as annoyed over the second Wigan goal, when defender Michael Johnson looked harshly treated in being penalised for a foul on Geoff Horsfield as both players jostled on the edge of the box.

"Referees have bad days and this was not one of this referee's better ones," Burley said. "There were a number of questionable decisions and I'm pleased that my players were professional enough to get on with the game and battle back for a point.

"That is what the assessor should be there for, to help referees, rather than put them under pressure. They should be allowed a little more scope to apply common sense."

For all his outrage, however, Jewell conceded that Wigan should have hung on to their lead. Although Derby's Lee Morris might have put his side two goals to the good in the opening three minutes, Wigan took the upper hand against a team Burley had been forced to assemble from whoever was fit after losing strikers Junior and Mathias Svensson to injury.

Liddell's delivery at both free-kicks was first-class, although Derby's defensive wall broke up rather easily and goalkeeper Andy Oakes's handling was at fault for the first.

But, after the gift of the penalty, converted twice by Taylor a retake ordered for Lee Holmes encroaching, Derby showed commendable determination, culminating in an equalising goal by Morris after a fine through-ball by Tom Huddlestone, one of two 16-year-olds in Burley's line-up.

Derby County 2
Taylor pen 40, Morris 62

Wigan Athletic 2
Liddell 4, 31

Half-time: 1-2 Attendance: 19,151