Steve Bruce can celebrate his first anniversary in charge at the JJB Stadium tomorrow from outside the relegation zone of the Barclays Premier League. Wigan Athletic finally remembered what it takes to win at home last night thanks to Henri Camara’s first league goal in almost two years.

As Everton spurned the opportunity to move into sixth place, Bruce could claim to have produced the inspired tactical substitution that prompted his team’s first win — and first goal — at home since September. With West Bromwich Albion to visit on Saturday, Bruce may be feeling cautiously optimistic this morning.

Camara’s arrival as a replacement at half-time for the ineffectual Olivier Kapo was greeted with loud applause from the home fans who evidently have long memories. It was on December 9, 2006, that the Senegal striker, who was injured for much of a frustrating year on loan with West Ham United last season, last scored a league goal, in a 1-1 draw away to Middlesbrough. He has scored three times in the Carling Cup since returning to Wigan but his effort last night could prove priceless.

After six minutes of Camara’s cameo appearance, Michael Brown sprayed a magnificent crossfield pass to Luis Antonio Valencia who cut inside Joleon Lescott before sliding a ball beyond Tim Howard for Camara to turn over the line. “He made himself a bit of a cult hero when he was here before,” Bruce said. “I didn’t realise he was coming back until I was lying on a sunbed and was told he had another year with us. He was unlucky to be left out after the way he played at Newcastle [United in a 2-2 draw ten days ago] but it was fantastic that he got on the end of it. Mind you, I could have scored that.”

Camara came on to play alongside Emile Heskey, the England forward, who, in Mario Melchiot’s continued absence, was made captain after returning from the calf injury that ruled him out last week. Without Amr Zaki, who has been suffering with calf and rib injuries as well as a virus, Bruce opted to combat Everton’s traditionally compact midfield by playing five in midfield, but in two tiers. Brown was brought back in to man the trenches alongside Lee Cattermole while Kapo played in between Valencia and Wilson Palacios with more freedom to join Heskey.

“We’re delighted we got the points for obvious reasons,” the Wigan manager added, having witnessed his team’s slide into the bottom three by way of other results over the weekend. “It’s been a terrible long wait for the game. Arguably, that was one of our poorest performances for a while, as we gave the ball away too cheaply, and the one bit of quality came with the goal.”

Bruce may have been harsh on his team who climbed to fifteenth by giving Everton no room to breathe in midfield while still creating plenty of chances themselves. Ryan Taylor curled a superb shot just over the crossbar, and Brown should have scored when he timed his late run well but shot wide. Palacios headed over after Heskey nodded down for Valencia to hook the ball back in.

There was a sense at this stage that Everton were playing within themselves. Few teams in luminous lime green shirts could be accused of hiding their light under a bushel, but when Louis Saha played an elongated one-two with Yakubu Ayegbeni and saw Chris Kirkland save well, we waited for Everton to get going. They did not.

Cattermole, under the gaze of Stuart Pearce, the England Under-21 head coach, performed a passable imitation of Diego Maradona as he slalomed past three defenders only for Tim Howard to parry his swerving shot. From Taylor’s ensuing corner, Paul Scharner was allowed a free header but again Howard saved.

Tim Cahill also had chances, most notably in stoppage time when he snatched a shot over, but this was not Everton’s night. James Vaughan, their England Under-21 striker, was ruled out for up to three months with a knee injury beforehand and David Moyes, their manager, admitted: “We didn’t create enough chances or put them under enough pressure.”

Wigan Athletic (4-2-3-1): C Kirkland — R Taylor, P Scharner, T Bramble, M Figueroa — L Cattermole, M Brown — L A Valencia, O Kapo (sub: H Camara, 46min), W Palacios — E Heskey. Substitutes not used: M Pollitt, K Kilbane, J Routledge, D De Ridder, T Cywka, J Koumas.

Everton (4-4-2): T Howard — P Neville (sub: L Baines, 85), J Yobo, P Jagielka, J Lescott — M Arteta, L Osman, M Fellaini, T Cahill — Yakubu Ayegbeni, L Saha (sub: V Anichebe, 65). Substitutes not used: C Nash, S Castillo, J Rodwell, L Jutkiewicz, D Gosling.

Referee: R Styles.