The teams went into the DW Stadium clash in contrasting form, with the visitors having won three out of their last four league matches while Wigan were looking for only their second win in nine. They were also hoping to bounce back from last weekend's crushing defeat by bottom side West Ham, but things did not look promising when Robert Huth's deflected free-kick put Stoke ahead. An own goal from Danny Collins drew the hosts level and a deflected effort from Tom Cleverley in the 40th minute earned them a point after Matthew Etherington had swiftly put the Potters back ahead. Martinez felt Wigan were a little unfortunate not to take all three points, which would have lifted them out of the relegation zone, after Charles N'Zogbia's shot was pushed against a post by Asmir Begovic late on. The Latics boss said: "The first half we were a little bit edgy, we reflected the anxiety that we had after the bad performance in the first hour at West Ham. "But then I was extremely proud of the second-half performance and the manner we approached the game. You're looking at a very experienced and strong Stoke side and, when you give them the lead, the games become very, very difficult. "With the deflection, it seemed that everything goes against us, but we reacted in the right manner and Charles N'Zogbia's chance at the end, which is an outstanding save from Begovic, that would have given us the reward I think we would have deserved." There was little sign of the drama to come in a dull opening, but the game sprang to life in the 18th minute when Ricardo Fuller won a dubious free-kick for a foul by Hendry Thomas. Huth's shot from 30 yards lacked power but a deflection off the heel of Mohamed Diame in the wall took it beyond Ali Al Habsi. It was rough on Wigan but their equaliser on the half-hour mark certainly owed a lot to luck as well, with Ben Watson's free-kick flicked past his own keeper by Collins. Mauro Boselli, Wigan's only available striker, then saw a shot blocked by Begovic, and from that chance Stoke broke away down the right, with Kenwyne Jones playing in Fuller, who laid Stoke's second goal on a plate for Etherington. It was something of a hammer blow for Wigan, coming less than two minutes after their equaliser, but they responded magnificently and only Thomas will know how he failed to convert N'Zogbia's 38th-minute cross from five yards out. However, two minutes later the home fans were celebrating, and it was yet another deflected goal as Cleverley cut in from the right and unleashed a shot that clipped Rory Delap and nestled in the corner of the net. The second half did not bring any more goals but it certainly brought chances, and it needed a superb stop apiece from Al Habsi and Begovic to keep the score at 2-2. First, Kenwyne Jones ran onto Jonathan Walters' cross and headed the ball goalwards only for Al Habsi to fling out his left hand. And six minutes from time N'Zogbia ran at the Stoke defence before striking a shot that was pushed onto the post by Begovic. Stoke would have hoped for more than a point after beating Liverpool and holding Manchester City to a draw in the last month, but Potters boss Tony Pulis gave credit to their opponents. He said: "Fair play to Wigan, they came back twice, albeit the two goals they scored were deflected goals. We created chances, they created chances, it was a very open game." Pulis also praised both keepers, adding: "I thought they were two fantastic saves. Begovic's was a superb save from the angle but I thought their keeper got down ever so well because the one thing you want to do is head it down, and for him to get down that low so quick was fantastic."
