Albion 3 Wigan 1 - The Swain Game

"It has come to our attention that in recent weeks these columns, in common with other media outlets, may have reflected a view that West Bromwich Albion, a football club trading in this parish whose team have been bottom of the table throughout this year, were a lost cause in the matter of their Premier League survival.

"We would wish to make it clear that it was never our intention to cast any such doubts on this matter and apologise for any lack of faith which may have been misconstrued in the process.

"Thank you."

Because ridiculously, impossibly, absurdly, Albion are still alive in a relegation battle from which they were discounted about three months ago.

In fact, they are not only alive but kicking, taking their supporters in to that terrible place where it is the hope that kills them.

Maybe it has all been a cunning plan, a plan so cunning you could pin a mask on it and call it Tony Mowbray.

Maybe everyone, especially their opponents, have been lured into a false sense of security that at least one of the three demotion places would be painted in blue and white stripes.

Yes, the odds must still weigh heavily in favour of that outcome. But on Friday, the bookies were quoting 1-200 on Albion's relegation.

On Sunday morning, they had carved 180 points off that and you can bet a couple more will be shaved off if Newcastle and Middlesbrough draw at St James's Park tonight.

This late, late revival is no more than the Baggies - and their supporters - deserve. The manager and his team have stuck to their guns while the fans have stuck to them.

In a desperately difficult campaign, there have been groans and grumbles and even an isolated appearance of one anti-Jeremy Peace banner.

But there has been no open revolt either inside or outside the camp.

Somehow, they have kept plugging away, trying to attack like Barcelona while defending like Barnet, taking their flawed but ambitious game-plan in to match after match, because of their manager's zealous commitment to entertaining football as the only way forward.

Now, suddenly, while their rivals are choking for breath, Albion are breathing in the scent of an unimagined survival.

This would not be the Great Escape 2. This would be the Impossible Escape 1.

Liverpool are sat on the horizon like a red tsunami poised to wash away this flickering optimism, but it may be that Albion have already achieved their most important goal.

They have restored pride and conviction to a team which had been seriously doubted; if it is to be the Championship next season, then so be it.

The Baggies can face it with the club's sense of purpose intact.

This victory over Wigan was never comfortable until the excellent Marc-Antoine Fortune scored the third goal after 74 minutes.

So the first port of call in Monday's salutes must be to the goalkeeper Dean Kiely who, in two separate incidents, produced outstanding and vital goal-line saves while bringing a vocal contribution to the defence which had to be welcomed.

Kiely is the ultimate professional.

He has, according to Mowbray, been a constant support to Scott Carson, as the one-time England keeper has attempted to rebuild his career on the Premier League stage Kiely did so much to bring to the Hawthorns.

When required, proved that he has kept his own game sharp too.

A triple save in the 10th minute confounded Wigan's Paul Scharner and Olivier Kapo and brought a huge ovation from Brummie Road Enders who had witnessed it with disbelieving eyes.

He then got the same treatment at the other end when, with the game in the melting pot still, he somehow palmed wide Mario Melchiot's close-range effort.

It was goalkeeping of high excellence to perfectly complement some impressive efforts from the men in front.

It meant that Albion were able to preserve their match-winning advantages, first when a wonderful Chris Brunt pass to Gianni Zuiverloon led to Fortune's eighth minute first goal before a deflected Hugo Rodallega free-kick defeated Kiely.

The second half belonged to Albion, as Wigan faded once Brunt had restored the lead from a 59th minute penalty before Fortune sealed victory with his second.

Like vultures circling a beast in danger of being cut from the herd, some 14 scouts were in the stands watching Fortune.

If Albion were to stay up, not only will it send the scouts packing but also give them a real chance of securing a forward who, toiling without a recognised second striker, delivered his most telling performance to date.

Jonathan Greening, beginning in a left-midfield station, was not far behind him, Chris Brunt's sharp-angled passes were a problem for Wigan throughout.

Having been dismissed as physically underpowered for this football, let's hear it for Jorge Valero, the Spanish passer fighting to keep his head above the high tide lines of midfield warfare in the English game.

Mowbray said: "He gave me a wry smile at the finish. Jorge is, undoubtedly, the most accomplished passer in the club but he gets more cheers when he wins a tackle.

"He doesn't understand that."

The Albion boss also ventured the view that if this squad could now start all over again, they would be significantly better off and there is a merit to that.

This has been a big learning season for so many of his players and it would be fascinating, for example, to see what difference young Youssouf Mulumbu could be making a year from now.

Here, potentially, is the midfield ball winner Mowbray knows he has lacked, to balance the Texeiras, Kims, Valeros and Mensenguezes.

He's 22 and raw in his ways but even in a little cameo late on in the game, produced a zip and bite in the tackle Albion's central defenders would have appreciated all season.

But never mind tomorrow, there is still the whiff of a chance today could turn out fine. Two games to go, might four points be enough? But it's too much to ask for. Surely, they can't do it.

Or can they?