ANDY WILLIAMS is associated with cardigans, firesides and making music so bland the main objective seems to be not offending anybody. Graeme Souness, however, has every reason to find the singer’s name egregious.

Williams — not the singer — was the assistant referee who the Newcastle manager will blame for spoiling his weekend. Perhaps we should all curse Williams; because of him the tired debate about introducing goalline technology has to be reopened.

He seemed one of those officials who are keen to get their flag up and be noticed but he kept it down at two crucial junctures during a second half in which Newcastle pursued an equaliser. First Shola Ameobi appeared to be tripped in the act of rounding John Filan. Phil Dowd, the referee, was partly unsighted and it was right under Williams’s nose but he declined to signal a penalty. Then came the moment that had the replay machines working overtime.

From a corner, Alan Shearer muscled his way above Arjan De Zeeuw and headed for goal. The ball bounced past a diving Filan and appeared to be at least six inches over the line before Leighton Baines knocked it away. Replays confirmed that impression but when Dowd glanced across at Williams he saw his assistant shaking his head. In Williams’s defence, he was perfectly positioned. Souness erupted and showered the fourth official with lava but Shearer made little protest, perhaps conscious he may have fouled de Zeeuw.

That was certainly how Paul Jewell, the Wigan manager, saw it. “If Graeme looks at the video he’ll see Shearer pushed de Zeeuw. Arjan says Shearer admitted it on the pitch.”

Souness was still red an hour after full-time but kept his anger inside. “I’d love to sit here and tell you how I feel but I can’t,” he said. “I’m under strict instructions from my wife: I can’t keep giving the FA the kind of money (in fines) I’ve given them over the years.”

The controversies, which also included Lee McCulloch’s red card for a thigh-high tackle on Emre, rather overshadowed the fact Wigan’s victory took them, temporarily, to second place.

Jewell was happy for it to be that way. “I’m trying to play things down. We know we’re not the best team in the world but if anybody outworks us, good luck to them.”

Whenever Newcastle went to pass, Wigan pressured the ball. When Newcastle tried to shoot there were always bodies in their way. De Zeeuw held their shape at the back and came out best as he and Shearer went head to head. Up front Jason Roberts’s running was powerful, perceptive and perpetual, and he deserved the goal that separated the sides.

It came near the end of a first half where Wigan’s energy held sway but which featured few chances. Earlier Roberts had burst through and hit the post after Jean-Alain Boumsong misplaced a header and Lee Bowyer also struck the goal frame when Stephane Henchoz lunged at Shearer’s flick and missed the ball.

But then came a movement that demonstrated Jewell’s drills on the training ground can produce something more lovely than marking and pressing. Pascal Chimbonda played a sharp pass to Henri Camara, who opened Newcastle up with a lovely flick. Damien Francis, making a well-rehearsed run from midfield, broke forwards on to Camara’s ball and drove towards the penalty box before slipping Roberts through.

From an awkward angle the big striker squeezed his shot under Given and, though the goalkeeper slowed the ball’s progress with a touch, the combined efforts of Steven Carr and Robbie Elliott could not stop it crossing the line. “Who needs Mourinho. We’ve got Paul Jewell-io!” sang the home support. Jewell and Mourinho have struck up a friendship and it is Wigan who have pushed Chelsea closest to defeat this season.

Jewell’s only cloud was Camara’s petulant reaction to being substituted. “He showed his teammates a lack of respect. We’re like Chelsea: no one’s bigger than the team,” the manager said. With that philosophy Jewell-io is emulating his mate Jose.

STAR MAN: Arjan de Zeeuw (Wigan)

Player ratings. Wigan: Filan 7, Chimbonda 7, De Zeeuw 8, Henchoz 7, Baines 7, Bullard 7 (Taylor 82min, 6), Francis 7, Kavanagh 7, McCulloch 5, Camara 7 (Connolly 76min, 6), Roberts 7

Newcastle: Given 7, Carr 5, Boumsong 5, Taylor 7, Elliott 6 (Clark 88min, 6), Bowyer 6 (Ameobi 37min, 6), Parker 6, Faye 5 (Emre h-t, 8), N’Zogbia 6, Owen 6, Shearer 5

Scorer: Wigan: Roberts 40

Referee: P Dowd

Attendance: 22,374

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