REPORT: Birmingham City 0 Wigan Athletic 1
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The visitors had played for more than 80 minutes with 10 men after Joe Bennett was – incredibly harshly – red-carded for a ‘last-man’ foul on Lukas Jutkiewicz, with replays showing he made no contact with the Birmingham striker.
But Leam Richardson’s men dug in and showed their character, to not only stem the Birmingham flow, but create the better chances.
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Hide AdAnd they were left celebrating a famous victory when two of their substitutes combined, to continue Latics’ unbeaten start to the campaign.
Birmingham had started brightly, with Przemyslaw Placheta firing over the bar.
And they were give a massive boost with less than 10 minutes gone, when Bennett was wrongly adjudged to have brought down Jutkiewicz.
The resulting free-kick from Juninho Bacuna flew just wide, with Latics forced into a reshuffle, which saw Ryan Nyambe take over from Josh Magennis, and James McClean drop to left wing-back.
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Hide AdThe dismissal appeared to have a galvanising effect on Latics, with Tom Naylor spurning a glorious opportunity top open the scoring, when he volleyed wide from the penalty spot.
It was hearts in mouths time again for Latics when Jamie Jones - in for the injured Ben Amos - went down and required treatment on a side-hip problem.
Fortunately he was able to continue, and Latics ended the half on top, with Will Keane not making the best of a Callum Lang cross.
Latics had to defend at the start of the second period, with Bacuna shooting towards the far post, and a deflection off Jason Kerr diverting it behind for a corner.Jutkiewicz headed straight at Jones, with Power trying his luck at the other end, only to be denied by a good save.
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Hide AdLatics fans were then treated to their first sight of Wyke in a competitive game for nine months, along with Broadhead and Graeme Shinnie.
Birmingham also brought on former Latics striker Sam Cosgrove, who was immediately in the game, forcing Jones into a stunning save at the expense of a corner.
But the substitutions had given the visitors a second wind, and two of them combined to open the scoring eight minutes from time.
Wyke it was with great work down the left, and he waited for the perfect moment to slide in Broadhead, who beat the goalkeeper on his near post.