Sorry Latics crash out
Wigan Athletic were bundled out of the FA Cup in humiliating fashion as League Two outfit Notts County completed the job they started 10 days ago at Meadow Lane.
In the first game, Latics battled back from 2-0 down to earn another crack at the Magpies thanks to a dogged second-half comeback.
Last night, lightning didn't strike twice as Stephen Hunt and an own goal from Gary Caldwell did the damage.
This time there was no Wigan response – and the Wembley dream is over for another year.
Yet again, several players did not live up to the faith bestowed in them by Roberto Martinez, as a succession of chances were squandered before two goals in the space of three minutes near the end put them out of their misery.
Martinez had named a solid-looking side for the visit of County, showing respect to the visitors' attacking capabilities by naming his strongest available back five.
Jason Koumas was handed a rare opportunity to impress behind Jason Scotland, with the likes of Hugo Rodallega, James McCarthy and the saviours from Meadow Lane – Charles N'Zogbia and Ben Watson - named on the bench as insurance.
Neither of the deadline-day signings, Marcelo Moreno and Victor Moses, were eligible to play, affording the likes of Jordi Gomez and Scotland another chance to stake their territory.
And the duo combined to create the first chance of the game on 11 minutes, the Spaniard threading through a lovely ball to the Trinidadian only for Kasper Schmeichel to spread himself well and make the save.
County had their first sight of goal on 27 minutes when a dangerous free-kick from Ben Davies was headed behind by Caldwell.
And Vladimir Stojkovic had his first meaningful touch seconds later when he did well to get both hands to a stinger from Lee Hughes before Emmerson Boyce cleaned it up.
After a thoroughly uninspiring opening half an hour, the game opened up in the 15 minutes before the break with both sides having decent chances to take the lead.
First, Davies – who scored County's second goal in the first game – forced a super stop from Stojkovic, before Ricky Ravenhill beat the keeper with a shot only to see Scott Sinclair clear off the Wigan line.
At the other end, a clever ball from Gomez found Paul Scharner, whose first-time shot was saved at full-stretch by Schmeichel.
Just as they had at Meadow Lane, Latics started the second half much better and Sinclair teed up Scotland, whose header produced a fabulous stop by Schmeichel, whose father Peter was watching on proudly in the directors' box.
Schmeichel junior then denied a decent effort from Gomez, before Martinez shuffled his pack by withdrawing Koumas and Mohamed Diame and introducing deadly duo McCarthy and N'Zogbia.
The Frenchman made an immediate impression, teeing up Gomez with some neat footwork, only for Schmeichel to again make the save.
County had barely ventured into Wigan territory in the second period, but they almost sneaked the lead with 18 minutes left when Hughes floated over a shot from the left and Stojkovic only just got his fingertips to it.
That was Hughes' final contribution, as he and Craig Westcarr were replaced by Karl Hawley and Luke Rodgers.
But it mattered not as County stamped their authority on proceedings with two goals in the space of three minutes that all-but settled the tie.
First, a Davies corner from the left was headed home powerfully by Hunt, before another Davies cross from the right trickled in off an unfortunate Caldwell.
Gomez tried his best to pull one back only to be denied again by Schmeichel, while Rodgers nearly made it 3-0 in the dying stages on a famous night for Sven-Goran Eriksson and his Magpies
Latics: Stojkovic; Boyce, Bramble, Caldwell, Figueroa; Sinclair, Diame, Gomez, Scharner, Koumas; Scotland. Subs: Pollitt, Amaya, Thomas, Watson, N'Zogbia, McCarthy, Rodallega.
Notts County: Schmeichel; Thompson, Edwards, Hunt, Jackson; Westcarr, Davies, Clapham, Ravenhill, Bishop; Hughes. Subs: Hoult, Lee, Hamshaw, Hawley, Fairclough, Rodgers, Akinbiyi.
For full match reaction and pictures, see Wednesday's Wigan Evening Post.
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
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Wind direction: East
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Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
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