REPORT: Tranmere Rovers 0 Wigan Athletic 0 (Latics win 6-5 on penalties)

It was a relatively uneventful encounter, with Tranmere having the one and only effort on target in the 90 minutes.

Latics enjoyed three-quarters of possession, but were unable to really work the home goalkeeper.

The visitors fashioned three chances inside the first seven minutes, with Harry McHugh firing over, a Callum McManaman cross flying just over Chris Sze, and Omar Rekik heading wide from a corner.

At the other end, Sam Taylor's strike from 25 yards didn't miss by much, but Latics quickly regained the initiative.

Charlie Wyke - captaining Latics - headed wide and then over the top, before Callum McManaman saw an effort tipped round the post.

Wyke then headed two more good chances wide of the mark before exiting, along with Scott Smith, making way for Josh Stones and Kai Payne, who was making his senior debut.

Chris Sze sent another shot fizzing just wide, before Latics had a huge let-off, when Harvey Saunders' effort rolled wide from all of two yards.

James Carragher and Stephen Humphrys replaced Omar Rekik and Jonny Smith for the closing stages, but Harry McHugh's shot wide was the closest they came to breaking the deadlock.

The shoot-out was as tight as the game, with successful spot-kicks from McManaman, Humphrys, Tom Pearce and Sze being cancelled out by their Tranmere counterparts.

Stones then missed only for Tranmere to do likewise, with James Balagizi also being denied before Tranmere fluffed their lines.

McHugh nudged Latics ahead, only for Tranmere to reply.

But when Kell Watts made it 6-5, Ben Amos pulled off a super save to ensure Latics topped their group.