Wigan Athletic 2 Bolton Wanderers 1: Those who automatically ticked off the relegation box against Wigan's name before the season began, on the grounds that the town may have a pier but no right to promenade in the Premiership, had better think again.

After losing their opening two matches against Chelsea and Charlton, Paul Jewell's side are now unbeaten in five and thoroughly enjoying themselves.

What is more, the JJB Stadium now feels like a proper ground, with the away fans having been moved behind one of the goals, rather than opposite the main stand. The atmosphere for this Lancashire derby was crackling, or as one Wigan fan summed it up in rich and rolling tones: "Bloody brilliant".

Not that Bolton saw it entirely that way. At half-time and with no goals Sam Allardyce's side appeared to have shaken off the tiredness of their successful Uefa Cup trip to Bulgaria and seemed poised to take control. Wigan had the zest but Bolton had the pedigree, or so it seemed. But Wigan should not be underestimated.

Henri Camara had greyhounded his way deep into the Bolton half enough times in the first half to let them know they could not drop into quiet reverie for the least instant, although it was an elementary mistake by Bruno N'Gotty that saw Wigan swoop joyously into the lead.

It was Camara, Wigan's record £3million signing from Wolverhampton, who initiated the move just after half-time with one of his many impressions of Linford Christie in his pomp. Jay-Jay Okocha tracked him, forcing Camara to lay the ball off wide where Jimmy Bullard struck a cross of some mediocrity. N'Gotty might have placed his header anywhere but could scarcely believe his own ineptitude when he placed it right into the path of Camara just as he must have been thinking that yet another of his electric runs had come to nothing. Now he was in the position to do everything himself, and skilfully lifted the ball beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen.

In his attempt to cut off Camara's initial run, Okocha appeared to injure himself and was replaced by Stelios Giannakopoulos, while El Hadji Diouf came on for Ricardo Gardner. Before Bolton could properly reorganise themselves, however, Wigan struck again, following another stirring run by Camara.

Bolton should really have dealt with Camara again for the second goal, allowing him to get in a cross that Lee McCulloch put away with some style. "We didn't keep it tight at the back when we needed to at 1-0, although I still felt like we might have won if we had got it back to 2-2," said Allardyce. "We over extended ourselves trying to equalise when they went ahead, and then they hit us on the break."

The first half was vibrant and competitive and had promised much without quite delivering, although this was more than made up for by as exciting a 45 minutes as you could wish to see after the break. Camara's goal released the tensions and Bolton's response to falling two goals behind was to sharply increase the momentum of their attacks. Radhi Jaidi pulled a goal back for them with the sternest of headers from a Giannakopoulos cross.

Wigan were beginning to give the ball away in midfield, although Camara's pace remained a constant threat. He powered one shot just wide and Damien Francis forced Jaaskelainen into a wonderfully instinctive save, pushing the ball out for a corner.

Nevertheless there was always a feeling that Bolton might salvage a point, and they would have, had Diouf and Giannakopoulos not missed the chances with which both were presented.

The story of Wigan's rise and rise has been well documented. There is a lust for success at the JJB that transcends mere money, even though their chairman David Whelan has his fair share. Thank goodness such ugly duckling stories still exist in football - and Wigan are swanning it right now.

Bolton had not conceded two goals since the opening game of the season but even their tightly-knit unit struggled throughout to deal with Camara's phenomenal pace.