Ormerod's double puts Wigan back on track

Less than a fortnight ago, having lost consecutive home games against West Ham United and Sunderland, Wigan Athletic had fallen out of the Championship's automatic promotion places.

Less than a fortnight ago, having lost consecutive home games against West Ham United and Sunderland, Wigan Athletic had fallen out of the Championship's automatic promotion places.

But just as it appeared that the Lancashire club were losing momentum in their bid to bring Premiership football to the town for the first time, successive away victories have taken the long-time League leaders back into second place.

"Two weeks ago we were on the floor," said Paul Jewell, the Wigan manager, following Saturday's win at Leicester City.

"It changes very fast. For the first time this season, our destiny was out of our own hands. Now it's back in our control.

"After the Sunderland game I said to the players it was time we put individual performances to the back of our minds and played for the team," he said.

On Saturday, he took the brave decision to relegate the 23-goal leading scorer, Nathan Ellington, to the substitutes' bench, preferring to partner Brett Ormerod with Jason Roberts. Since the on-loan Southampton striker scored both goals, one in either half courtesy of the set-piece deliveries of another welcome recent arrival at Wigan, the Republic of Ireland international Graham Kavanagh, Jewell's tactics were gloriously vindicated.

"I'm not one to change the team too often but I thought we needed a shake-up," said Jewell.

"I just felt Nathan had been looking a bit jaded. It was a big decision and if we'd lost I'd have been criticised - that's the nature of the job.

"I just needed to remind the players that they're all good players and we're a good team, as we've shown all season.

"This is when you need to roll your sleeves up, and the players have responded magnificently.

"It's not about the starting 11 or even the 16, it's about the 20 squad members we have.

"I told my fringe players to make sure they were ready when the time came and they've responded magnificently." Jewell was quick to praise the performance of Ormerod, whose energy and willingness, coupled with his ability to win headers against much bigger defenders, make him a real asset at this level.

"The table doesn't lie and Wigan are very consistent," said Ormerod. "They play good football and I'm enjoying it here. We work hard in training and the manager is big on work ethic, but when we have the ball we try to play football." The good humour in the Wigan camp was in contrast to the despondency of Craig Levein, the Leicester manager, whose team, in 16th place, remain only three points clear of Brighton in the final relegation slot.

"They were better than us," was his frank analysis. "We should never be in this position but we are and we need to beat Cardiff here to take the pressure off."

Goals: Ormerod (25) 0-1; Ormerod (59) 0-2.

Leicester City (4-4-2): Walker; McCarthy, Dublin, Dabizas, Maybury; Gillespie (Kenton, 68), Gudjonsson, Williams, Tiatto (Moore, 79); De Vries, Connolly. Substitutes not used: Hirschfeld (gk), Nalis, Wilcox.

Wigan Athletic (4-4-2): Filan; Eaden, Jackson, Breckin, McMillan; Bullard, Kavanagh, Jarrett, McCulloch (Wright, 79); Ormerod, Roberts (Ellington, 88). Substitutes not used: Walsh (gk), Mahon, Teale.

Referee: K Stroud (Dorset).

Booked: Leicester City McCarthy, Tiatto, Dabizas; Wigan Athletic: Roberts, Filan.

Man of the match: Kavanagh.

Attendance: 23,894.