Wigan Athletic end dismal Vertu Trophy campaign with the dampest of squibs against Stockport County
Wigan Athletic are out of the Vertu Trophy at the group stage following a penalty shoot-out defeat at Stockport County – after torrential rain had halted the game for almost an hour during the second half.
Joseph Hungbo couldn’t make the most of the first chance of the game, and he was unable to make amends as he limped off on 28 minutes.
After Toby Savin – making his second start for Latics – did well to deny Corey Edwards. Stockport took the lead on the 32-minute mark.
Right-back Corey O'Keeffe was allowed to run half the length of the field - playing a neat one-two with Lewis Fiorini - before firing into the net from 20 yards.
Latics took only eight minutes to restore parity - and it was a goal that will haunt County goalkeeper Corey Addai for some time.
There seemed little danger when Dara Costelloe sent a looping header off substitute Fraser Murray's corner.
However, under minimal pressure from Will Aimson, Addai succeeded only in flicking the ball into the back of his own net from a yard, as he tried to divert it over the bar.
Addai did considerably better two minutes after the restart when he pulled off a fine save to deny Costelloe, who tried his luck from the edge of the box.
Costelloe should have laid on Latics' second goal for Paul Mullin on 58 minutes, only for the on-loan Wrexham man to inexplicably sidefoot wide at the far post from five yards out.
That was the last action a torrential downpour led to referee Scott Oldham taking both sets of players off while the groundstaff desperately tried to clear the growing amount of surface water.
When the teams eventually reappeared, Stockport almost scored within seconds of the restart, when a long-range strike from Fiorini took a massive deflection, which Savin did well to readjust to and claw out.
Costelloe forced another good save from Addai, before Latics thought they'd won it in stoppage-time, only for an offside flag to cut short Harrison Bettoni's celebrations.
Latics looked as though they were going to win the penalty shoot-out after Savin saved County’s fourth kick.
But Morgan Fox was unable to win it for Latics, and Jensen Weir then blazed over the top to leave County 6-5 winners.
Latics’ successful spot-kick scorers were Murray, skipper Jason Kerr, Aimson, Costelloe and Bettoni.