A new year brings new expectations but bullish Blackburn manager Mark Hughes has every reason to be optimistic about his side's prospects for 2006.

His resurgent Rovers march confidently into the New Year believing a charge for Europe could be on the cards and who would bet against them after this ruthless derby demolition of Wigan Athletic, the Premiership's surprise package?

Two goals of stunning quality from Morten Gamst Pedersen and Steven Reid put the fizz into Rovers' New Year's Eve celebrations before Craig Bellamy then joined the party as a second substitute, supplying the coup de grace with a killer third, to round off a prosperous festive programme for Hughes' fast-improving side.

This third straight Premiership victory lifted Rovers up to ninth position in the table and, the way they are playing at the moment, expect to see them soar even higher over the coming weeks and months.

This was as close to the perfect away performance as you get in the toughest domestic league in world football.

The JJB Stadium has been something of a citadel for Wigan this season; Paul Jewell's side had won six times on home soil prior to this, slaying some established Premiership heavyweights on their way to a top-six spot.

However, they were never a match for a rampant Rovers side that was superior in every department and, but for some late showboating, the margin of their defeat might have been even greater.

There was a style and swagger about Rovers that must have had Hughes drooling at the mouth and nothing epitomised that more than the opening two goals, which must be certain contenders for Match of the Day's goal of the month.

Pedersen lit the blue-touch paper in the 15th minute when he slammed a breathtaking far post volley past a shell-shocked Mike Pollitt.

It was a stunning strike, reminiscent of his brilliant effort against Fulham earlier in the season, if not quite as spectacular.

But if that was special then what about Reid's thunderbolt in the 53rd minute, which surely eclipsed it?

David Bentley, who had another industrious game on the right, started the move when he jinked past his marker and delivered a cross into the centre, which was headed clear by Pascal Chimbonda.

As the ball dropped invitingly 25-yards out, Reid was onto it in a flash and his right-foot shot scorched through the air like a comet on its way into the top corner, sparking scenes of delirium amongst Rovers' 5,000-strong travelling army.

There's a champagne quality to some of Rovers' football at the moment so it's little wonder that Hughes believes 2006 could yet turn out to be a vintage year for a team that was staring relegation in the face this time 12 months ago.

"We're going into the New Year in decent shape," said the buoyant Rovers boss.

"Everybody knows that this time last year we were struggling at the wrong end of the table and they were difficult times.

"But a lot of hard work has since gone on, not only on the pitch but off it as well, we've made a lot of changes and we hope that in 2006 we'll start reaping the benefits."

Everyone, to a man, in the Rovers side played their part in what was another textbook away performance on the back of the two recent wins at Middlesbrough.

From the first whistle to the last, Rovers refused to let Wigan settle, with Reid and the irrepressible Robbie Savage particularly effective in dictating the tempo through their energy and drive in the engine room.

Much of Wigan's success this season has been built around the pace and power of Jason Roberts and Henri Camara, but the Latics' strike-duo were expertly snuffed out by Zurab Khizanishvili and Ryan Nelsen, who were both impeccable at the heart of Hughes' miserly defence.

Further forward, Rovers always had a threat on the break, with Pedersen and the effervescent Bentley providing able support for Shefki Kuqi and Paul Dickov, who never gave the home defence a moment's peace.

The end result was an accomplished team performance and you always felt that Rovers had that little extra know how to see off Wigan's challenge.

Rovers looked the sharper side throughout, no doubt as a result of having an extra few days' rest following the postponement of their game with Sunderland.

Nelsen soared above the Wigan defence to meet an early corner from Pedersen but Mike Pollitt expertly tipped his header over the crossbar.

Then moments later, a clever flick from Bentley teed-up Dickov but the former Manchester City's star snapshot lacked both the power and accuracy to beat Pollitt.

Roared on by a magnificent away following, Rovers were finally rewarded for their impressive start in the 15th minute - and what a goal it was!

Dickov collected the ball on the right and delivered an inswinging cross towards Savage, who was lurking with intent on the edge of the six-yard box.

Gary Teale appeared to have cleared the danger when he got a glancing touch to divert the ball away from the Welshman, but it dropped kindly for Pedersen at the far post and the Norwegian slammed an unstoppable shot past Pollitt from the tightest of angles.

Wigan were rocked by that early blow and they might have fallen further behind before the interval had Dickov made more of two decent half chances.

As half-time approached, the Latics finally started to get their act together as an attacking force and they were unlucky not to equalise.

Camara shot narrowly wide, Lee McCulloch fired another effort tamely at Brad Friedel, and an Arjan De Zeeuw header was brilliantly nodded off the line by the ever-alert Michael Gray.

Wigan's hopes of recording a fifth straight win were extinguished eight minutes into the second half in the most emphatic style imaginable when Reid produced his bolt from the blue.

Amazingly, that was his first goal of the season!

Rovers were in cruise control after that and Bellamy added a third in the 85th minute when he pounced on a lucky ricochet to slide a cool finish past Pollitt.

On a day when Blackburn fans tucked in to half-price pies courtesy of Wigan owner Dave Whelan, their team proved that talk of Europe is not just pie in the sky!