Match report: Wigan Athletic 3, Stoke City 0

The Latics were far too strong for their relegation rivals, enjoying a comprehensive 3-0 thanks to two goals from Kai Naismith and a Jack Butland own goal.

In truth, Paul Cook's men could have won by more goals such was their dominance over the 90 minutes.

Wigan now look to have all but preserved their Championship status, the win moving them up to 15th in the table, a sizeable eight points clear of the drop zone with six games of their Championship season left to play.

Remarkably, it is now 665 minutes since Wigan goalkeeper David Marshall has conceded a goal.

The Latics showed their intentions as early as the fifth minute when Kieffer Moore broke into the box but his shot was smothered by the on-rushing Stoke No.1 Butland.

Two minutes later, Jamal Lowe found himself free inside the area but his low shot cannoned into the sidenetting.

The hosts continued to push forward and Moore failed to apply the finishing touch inside the penalty area after Lowe's low, hard cross from the right in the 11th minute.

As the game edged towards the quarter-hour mark, Stoke had their first chance whenMarshall had to react smartly to turn Sam Vokes' header around the post following Ryan Thompson's free-kick from the right.

From the second of two successive corners, delivered by Thompson, Nathan Collins headed wide handing the Latics a huge let-off.

Ten minutes later, Joe Williams' free-kick was clawed away to safety by Butland while Latics' skipper Sam Morsy stung the palms of the Potters No.1 with a rasping drive from 25 yards just before the half-hour mark.

The Latics continued to knock on the door and they eventually got their reward when Kieran Dowell found himself free inside the area on the by-line.

The midfielder fired the ball towards goal and it ended up in the net after appearing to deflect off Butland.

Soon after the visiting keeper was called into action to make a fingertip save when he turned Kai Nasmith's superb volley around the post.

Wigan continued to look the more likely in the opening exchanges of the second half and Collins had to make a last-ditch block to thwart Lowe in the 52nd minute.

The Latics forward should have made it 2-0 three minutes later but somehow missed when it looked easier to score.

Substitute Kai Smith, on for the injured Michael Jacobs in the first half, turned Potters left-back Stephen Ward inside out down the right before popping up a ball to the back post where Lowe was arriving right on cue.

However, the 25-year-old smashed his shot against the crossbar from point-blank range.

The Latics finally got the second goal which their play so richly deserved in the 65th minute.

The goal owed much to the persistence of Lowe who kept the in play near to the touch line before firing the ball at Butland's goal.

The England goalkeeper could only palm the ball onto the crossbar and Naismith helped the bouncing ball over the line.

Two soon became three just three minutes later when Naismith superbly cushioned the ball into his path before unleashing a left-foot thunderbolt into Butland's right-hand corner from about 25 yards.

WIGAN: David Marshall, Nathan Byrne, Cedric Kipre, Leon Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Sam Morsy, Joe Williams (Joe Gelhardt 90), Kieran Dowell (Lee Evans 79), Michael Jacobs (Kai Naismith 32), Jamal Lowe (Gavin Massey 79), Kieffer Moore (Joe Garner 90)

Subs: Jamie Jones, Danny Fox, Tom Pearce, Jan Mlakar

Booked: Williams

STOKE: Jack Butland, Nathan Collins (Tommy Smith 70) , Danny Batth, Ryan Shawcross (james Chester 70), Stephen Ward (Bruno Martins-Indi 70), Jordan Cousins, Jordan Thompson (Lee Gregory 56), Tom Ince (Tyrese Campbell 56), Sam Clucas, James McLean, Sam Vokes.

Subs: Adam Davies,Mame Biram Diouf, Tashan Oakley Booth, Lassi Sorensen

Booked: Ward, Collins