Fraser Murray is the hero as Wigan Athletic see off Stockport County to stay on Wembley trail
Substitute Fraser Murray popped up with the only goal five minutes from time to see off Stockport County and send Wigan Athletic into round three of the Carabao Cup.
It had looked as though the match was destined to go all the way to penalties with neither goalkeeper really threatened during a disappointing north-west derby at the Brick Community Stadium.
The sides – who meet here again in the league on Saturday – had made a total of 17 changes between them, perhaps showing where their priorities lie, which led to a disjointed encounter.
Latics had slightly the better of it in terms of chances, with the pace of Maleace Asamoah Jnr proving a constant menace to their visiting defence.
After firing wide and too high in the first half, he thought he’d raced in behind after the break only to be penalised for a foul on last man Corey O’Keeffe.
Ryan Lowe did everything he could do tip the game Latics’ way, making five attacking changes – Murray, Callum Wright, Joseph Hungbo, Dara Costelloe and Christian Saydee – in the second period.
And it paid dividends as Saydee crossed for Murray to head home at the far post with five minutes left.
It could and perhaps should have been 2-0 moments later, only for Tobias Brenan to be denied by a fine save by Ben Hinchliffe in the County goal – but Latics held on to remain on the Wembley trail.