Wigan sign off with victory

Bottom club Wolves departed the Barclays Premier League with a defeat as Wigan showed their visitors exactly what is required to survive in the top flight with a 3-2 win.

Wigan capitalised on some weak defending as Emmerson Boyce scored twice and could easily have had a hat-trick.

Matt Jarvis had put Wolves ahead but Franco Di Santo and Boyce turned things around very quickly and when the latter spectacularly volleyed home in the second half the result was put beyond Wolves despite substitute Steven Fletcher's late consolation.

The first-half action was encapsulated in a manic six minutes which perfectly summed up Wolves' dreadfully disappointing season.

In the ninth minute Stephen Ward played in Jarvis down the left and he curled a perfectly-weighted shot around Gary Caldwell and past goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi into the far corner of the net.

The joy of the Wolves fans was short-lived, however, as Wigan were soon level. Stephen Hunt dawdled in possession 30 yards out and James McCarthy required no second invitation to nick the ball off him before Di Santo fired home a low shot.

Wolves' lackadaisical defending cost them again barely three minutes later when Jean Beausejour flicked over a corner from the left and Boyce headed in from 12 yards.

Wolves had the first chance of the second half when Kevin Doyle's header was well saved by Al Habsi.

Hugo Rodallega, whose contract is up next month, came on for what was more than likely his farewell appearance and immediately set up the third. His header down dropped right into Boyce's path and he smashed a swerving volley into the top corner from 20 yards.

A mistake by Adrian Lopez allowed Doyle to dispossess him on the edge of the area and when the ball dropped to substitute Fletcher he knocked in a consolation. Rodallega almost signed off in fairytale fashion by hitting the post seconds from the final whistle.