FT Portsmouth 1 Wigan Athletic 2

The visitors had broken a three-game losing sequence in midweek when hammering Liverpool Under-21s 6-1 in the EFL Trophy.

And John Sheridan's men took that momentum into the league against a side tipped to be there or thereabouts in the promotion shake-up.

Latics had a let-off in the opening skirmishes when Ronan Curtis hit the woodwork with a cross-shot that deceived Jamie Jones.

But Latics gradually grew into the game and, after overcoming the loss of Tom Pearce to injury, took the lead through Evans six minutes before the break.

Viv Solomon-Otabor's cross from the left caused panic, and led to James trying his luck from 25 yards.

The ball was half-blocked by a defender into the path of Evans, whose shot managed to just about clear the outstretched fingertips of Pompey goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray.

Right-back James then doubled the lead on 59 minutes with a fantastic free-kick into the top corner from fully 30 yards.

Pompey came close again when Sean Raggett saw a header flick the outside of the Wigan post.

They eventually pulled one back in the very last minute when substitute Ellis Harrison lashed home from close range.

But Latics survived a nervy five minutes of added time to register a deserved three points.