REPORT: Wigan Athletic progress into Round 16 of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy with major milestone goals
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The victory saw Shaun Maloney’s side extend their unbeaten run to eight in all competitions, with Jonny Smith and Liam Morrison scoring respective milestone goals before the break to hand the Latics what proved to be an unassailable lead.
Maloney made eight changes to the side that progressed in the FA Cup with a win at York last Friday night, with defender Morrison returning from an injury sustained on international duty for Scotland’s under-21s.
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Omar Rekik, Scott Smith and Jordan Jones were the only players to retain their places, while Josh Magennis was named captain. In the County camp, Nick Powell returned to face his former club, picking up a yellow, and had one of the few first half chances from the visitors in an opening 45 minutes that otherwise saw Ben Amos’ gloves kept relatively clean.
Former Latics loanee Kyle Knoyle also featured for the visitors, picking up a yellow card for a poor tackle on J.Jones.
Wigan opened with an eager tempo and wanted to attack with every opportunity. It was 26-year-old Smith who opened the scoring with his first goal for the club, sweeping home a slick delivery into the area from Chris Sze 17 minutes in.
Morrison doubled Maloney’s side’s lead soon after with his first professional goal off the back of a training ground free-kick - the ball was worked out left and crossed in by Jordan Jones for the returning centre back to glance home past County ‘keeper Jordan Smith.
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The defender was later subbed off on the hour mark for Charlie Hughes in a pre-planned change, with Baba Adeeko and Stephen Humphrys also introduced in the second half.
With Stockport the better team after the break, 33-year-old Amos was finally brought into action, with his most notable piece of work coming as he smothered County’s Joel Cotterill to deny the visitors a route back into the contest following a mix-up at the back.
Sze had Wigan’s best chance of the second half, denied by the legs of Stockport’s Smith in a one-on-one situation that left the score 2-0 and a spot in the next stage.