Franco Di Santo’s second-half equaliser saw Fulham held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by struggling Wigan Athletic at the Cottage on Saturday.

Di Santo struck on 71 minutes to cancel out a fine first-half strike by Giorgos Karagounis. The Greek had thundered home a shot on 22 minutes to score his second goal in as many games and put the Whites in front.

But Wigan were improved after the break and took advantage of a lacklustre second-half display by Fulham, with Di Santo’s goal just reward for the visitors.

Fulham almost won it in injury time, though. Bryan Ruiz wriggled his way into the box but saw his shot somehow headed off the line in spectacular fashion by Maynor Figueroa.

Martin Jol made four changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Blackpool in the Third Round of the FA Cup with Budweiser last weekend. Mark Schwarzer returned in goal in place of David Stockdale, while Kieran Richardson was named at left-back, with no place in the matchday squad for Matthew Briggs. Damien Duff and Mladen Petric – both back from injury - also came into the starting XI, with Ashkan Dejagah dropping down to the bench and Steve Sidwell missing out with injury.

On a crisp January afternoon at the Cottage, Wigan started the brighter, knocking the ball around in the style that Robert Martinez demands. Long-range shots by Shaun Maloney and James McArthur were off target, however, while at the other end, Petric sent a free-kick over the bar. The same player then elected to shoot on 15 minutes and blazed his effort well over when a pass to the overlapping Alexander Kačaniklić might have been a better option.

But the game burst into life on 22 minutes – and how. Karagounis picked up the ball in midfield, dropped a shoulder to skip past a challenge and fired a 25-yard shot past Ali Al Habsi and in off the post. It was his second goal in as many games and another stunner after his sublime strike against Blackpool.

Wigan had a good chance to level on 26 minutes, but McArthur fired his shot straight at Schwarzer after robbing Ruiz, who was playing in a deep midfield role, of possession.

A fine flowing move involving Sascha Riether, Petric and Ruiz ended on 34 minutes when the Costa Rican was crudely hauled to the ground by McArthur, who was booked. From the resulting free-kick, Richardson sent his shot high, wide and into the Hammersmith End.

There was a let off for Fulham on 41 minutes. Emmerson Boyce worked his way to the right byline before whipping in a cross which the sliding Di Santo contrived to put over the bar from six yards. It was to be the final noteworthy action of the half.

Schwarzer kept Fulham in front on 55 minutes, brilliantly tipping a left-footed drive by Maloney onto the bar and out for a corner after Berbatov had misplaced a header in the middle of the park. Richardson then made a superb last-ditch tackle to deny James McCarthy as Wigan broke again. Just after the hour mark, Di Santo sent a snap shot inches wide of Schwarzer’s right-hand post.

Petric made way on 64 minutes as Jol made his first change, with former Latics striker Hugo Rodallega introduced in place of the Croatian. Seven minutes later Wigan were level. Di Santo picked up the ball on the left-hand touchline before cutting inside and unleashing a swerving shot from the edge of the box that flew beyond the reach of Schwarzer.

Two minutes later, Di Santo tested Schwarzer from just inside the box. Wigan were well on top at this point, but Richardson did well down the other end, floating in a hanging cross that was just too high for Rodallega.

Chris Baird was thrown into the mix on 81 in place of Duff as Jol looked to shore up a midfield that was being increasingly overrun, with Ruiz moving out to the right. Schwarzer then did well to deny Di Santo with his legs after a rare mistake by Aaron Hughes allowed the Wigan man a sight of goal.

Jol’s final throw of the dice was to bring on Ashkan Dejagah in place of Kačaniklić. And in stoppage time, the Whites looked set to win it when Ruiz bundled past Gary Caldwell and into space in the left-hand side of the penalty area. His drive beat Al Habsi but was incredibly headed off the line by Figueroa before proceedings came to a close.