Wigan provided the support act as Tottenham warmed up for a date with Real Madrid but it was Roberto Martinez’ men who hit the high notes as they earned what could be a vital point in their battle against the drop.

Harry Redknapp takes his Champions League novices to the Bernabeu tomorrow. But if Rafael van der Vaart, Luka Modric and Co. thought they could prepare with a routine win over the Premier League’s bottom club, the Latics weren’t singing from the same hymn sheet.

“I think the Real Madrid scout has gone home scared stiff,” joked Harry Redknapp after watching his side endure an uncomfortable 90 minutes.

“I didn’t enjoy the game to be honest.”

His players didn’t enjoy their visit to the DW Stadium either.

Van der Vaart and Modric weren’t allowed the time and space they craved  while strike pair Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko were forced to feed off scraps.

That goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes was the one Spurs player to excel was proof that Wigan deserved more for their afternoon’s work.

The big Brazilian produced a magnificent save from Tom Cleverley’s curling effort and rushed off his line to deny substitute Conor Sammon a certain winner right at the death.

At the other end, Ali Al Habsi’s work started and finished with a routine save from Jermaine Jenas in the first half.

Wigan manager Martinez said: “Gomes had a great afternoon. I’ve seen the replay of Tom Cleverley’s shot and that’s a world class save.”

He added: “We showed how much we’ve improved and how far we’ve come.

“Off the ball, we were outstanding.

“Defensively, the whole team kept Spurs very, very quiet. And in a very good game of football, I felt that we edged it.

“Our front four enjoyed their football and worked really hard off the ball.

“We know we are catching up and we need to get points. All we can control is the performance and I couldn’t be prouder of the players. We just couldn’t get that goal which would have given us the three points that the performance deserved.”

Defeats to United and City are Wigan’s only two blemishes in the last seven league games.

And Martinez believes that if his side can replicate that form during the last seven games of the season Wigan may yet be playing Premier League football again come August.

He said: “In the last seven games we’ve got a very good return of points and we’re going to carry on like this until the end of the season.”

He added: “I’m very, very confident we can avoid relegation.

“In the position we’re in, we don’t expect any favours from the others and we need to get to 41 points.

“We’ve got 21 points to play for and we’re going to give our lives to do that.”

WIGAN: Al Habsi 6, Boyce 7, Figueroa 7, G Caldwell 7, Alcaraz 7, Watson 7, McCarthy 8, N’Zogbia 7 (Di Santo 85), Cleverley 7, Moses 7 (Sammon 66), Rodallega 6 (Diame 86). Not used: Pollitt, Gohouri, Gomez, Stam.

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