Wigan Athletic 2 (Le Fondre 5, Griggs 88)
Wolves 1 (Oniangue 34)
A late Will Grigg goal put paid to paid to any hopes Wolves had of taking a point back down the M6 after Prince Oniangue had cancelled out Adam Le Fondre’s early strike.
Walter Zenga made two changes with Silvio and Ivan Cavaleiro replacing Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson.
The Wigan squad included four former Wolves players – Le Fondre and Nathan Byrne started the game and Craig Davies and Michael Jacobs were named as substitutes.
Wanderers kicked-off defending the end of the DW Stadium that housed over 1,200 of their supporters.
After just five minutes Wigan were in front. They countered from a Cavaleiro inspired Wolves attack and Max Power’s low cross from the right was tucked away by Le Fondre.
The visitors were close to pulling level in the 13th minute after Joao Teixeira had planted a free-kick into the Wigan box. Danny Batth helped the ball on to Romain Saiss whose shot was blocked by Latics keeper Adam Bogdan.
The loose ball ran to Oniangue but at full stretch his effort lacked power and this time Bogdan was able to cling on to the ball.
Helder Costa was the next to go close after he ran from just inside the Wigan half and into the area holding off the attention of Dan Burn before unleashing a drive that clipped the top of the bar as it went over.
On 30 minutes it was Costa again, this time breaking into the box only to be tackled as he was about to shoot. The ball ran to Silvio but his first time shot was blocked at the expense of a corner.
Teixeira took the flag-kick and when the ball dropped to Batth he fired towards goal only for Bogdan to dive and save.
Jordi Gomez fell between a double challenge as he ran into the Wolves area but his appeals for a penalty soon stopped when he realised he was being booked for diving.
Seconds later, in the 34th minute, Wolves were level when Oniangue ‘passed’ the ball into the corner of the net from the edge of the box after Cavalerio had set up the opportunity.
Silvio was booked for a late challenge on Byrne and, after Burn had drilled a shot narrowly wide of Carl Ikeme’s near post, Shaun MacDonald was shown the yellow card after he had brought down Costa who was heading for goal. Saiss’s free-kick, from 25-yards hit the defensive wall.
Half-Time: Latics 1 Wolves 1
Shortly after Saiss had been booked for what looked like dissent, a Batth header following a Teixeira free-kick was cleared from in front of the line by a defender.
At the other end Ikeme made a comfortable save from Byrne’s bouncing header before both sides made a double switch midway through the half.
For Wolves, Paul Gladon and George Saville were sent on for Cavaleiro and Teixeira, whilst Wigan replaced Le Fondre and Gomez with Grigg and Nick Powell.
Appeals for a penalty for Jake Buxton’s challenge on Gladon were ignored, then Oniangue became the third Wolves man to go into the book for a foul on Stephen Warnock. Shortly afterwards Oniangue was replaced by Ola John.
The winger soon made his presence felt sliding a pass through to Costa whose low drive was saved by Bogdan.
Powell’s long-range effort was easily dealt with by Ikeme but, as the game seemed to be petering out into a draw, Grigg hit the winner.
The Northern Ireland international raced on to Buxton’s lofted through pass and drew Ikeme before slipping the ball into the empty net.
Latics: Bogdan, Buxton, Perkins, Power, Byrne (Jacobs 79), Le Fondre (Grigg 66), Gomez (Powell 66), MacDonald, Warnock (capt), Wildschut, Burn.
Unused subs: Jaaskelainen, Woolery, Garbutt, Davies.
Bookings: Gomez (33 – simulation), MacDonald (44 – foul), Powell (90+2 – ungentlemanly conduct).
Wolves: Ikeme, Doherty, Silvio, Edwards, Batth (capt), Iorfa, Costa, Oniangue (John76), Cavaleiro (Gladon 65), Saiss, Teixiera (Saville 65).
Unused subs: Lonergan, Stearman, Coady, Borthwick-Jackson.
Bookings: Silvio (41 – foul), Saiss (53 – dissent), Oniangue (71 – foul).
Referee: T. Harrington.
Attendance: 10,723 (1,250 away supporters).
