Wigan Athletic kick-off pre-season programme with Carlisle defeat

Youngster Olly Crankshaw scored the Latics goal three minutes into the second half, levelling the scores after Gime Toure had given the Cumbrians a half-time advantage.

And although Lewis Alessandra's effort just before the hour mark gave Carlisle victory, Latics boss Leam Richardson would have been delighted at getting valuable minutes into his mix of senior professionals and Academy graduates.

Jamie Jones, Nathan Byrne, Tom Pearce, Sam Morsy, Kal Naismith and Joe Garner all started the clash, with Gary Roberts - currently a free agent - also playing for an hour.

McManaman, who is training with Latics after being released by Luton, came on in the second period to give a reminder of what he can do.

Development Squad stars Emeka Obi, Adam Long, Alex Perry and Crankshaw all played from the off, with Thelo Aasgaard, Jack Sanders, Luke Robinson, Chris Merrie, Charlie Jolley and Kyle Joseph coming off the bench.

The Latics goal was nicely-crafted, with Morsy and Sanders helping to tee up Crankshaw, whose effort from wide right sailed over the Carlisle keeper and into the left-hand corner of the net.

After Carlisle regained the lead, Crankshaw came close to a second equaliser towards the end, with McManaman also seeing a whipped shot fly just wide of the upright.

Latics: Jones (Evans 46), Byrne (Aasgaard 61), Obi, Long (Sanders 18), Pearce (Robinson 61), Perry, Morsy (Merrie 61), Roberts (Jolley 61), Naismith (McManaman 61), Crankshaw, Garner (Joseph 61)