Zaki struck in the 70th minute, livening up a second half which had been littered with substitutions from both sides.

Antonio Valencia won possession in midfield, advanced goalwards before slipping a delightful pass through the Hibs defence.

It picked out Zaki who hammered a left-foot shot into the roof of the net.

His reward for scoring was a well earned breather after a hard working shift, French trialist Joel Thomas replacing him up front.

Until the goal, Latics had laboured slightly in the second half after a bright show before the interval.

They started well and peppered the Hibs goal early on.

In the fifth minute, Zaki forced a good far post save from hosts keeper Andrew McNeil.

And the Egyptian striker was denied again by McNeil moments later, the keeper parrying away his powerful header from a Maynor Figueroa cross.

The resulting corner caused all sorts of problems in the Hibs defence, ending with skipper Rob Jones heading against his own post.

Valencia saw a shot from the edge of the box deflect off a defender's boot and go behind, while Figueroa tested McNeil with a 30-yard drive.

Emile Heskey and Zaki was both only a coat of boot polish away from connecting with Mario Melchiot's low cross as Latics continued their pressure.

Hibs came more into the game as the first half wore on, Steve Fletcher's header forcing a diving save from Carlo Nash, deputising for the injured Chris Kirkland.

But Latics continued looking ther stronger side, a shot on the turn from the energetic Zaki flashing just wide of the far post.

Just before the interval, Hibs striker Colin Nish fired a close range effort against the far post after a deep cross caught out Nash.

There were fewer chances in the second half, Nash having to field a couple of long range efforts from the hosts.

And just before Zaki's goal, substitute Antoine Sibierski fired a 20-yard shot into the gloves of McNeil.

Marlon King saw a late drive from the edge of the box clip the outside of the post.

Latics: Nash, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Figueroa, Valencia, Brown, Palacios, Kapo, Heskey, Zaki. Subs: Pollitt, Sibierski, de Ridder, King, Montrose, Thomas.

Hibs: McNeil, Van Zanten, Hanlon, Hogg, Jones, Thicot, Keenan, Shiels, Fletcher, Nish, O'Brien. Subs: Grof, Chisholm, McCann, Canning, McCormack, Stevenson, Rankin, Morais, Campbell.

Referee: Mike Tumilty

For a full match report, reaction and pictures from Easter Road, pick up a copy of the Wigan Evening Post on Wednesday.