Wigan Athletic 3-0 Stoke City: Latics reach 50 points but Potters still in trouble
- Published
Kal Naismith's first goal was a close-range effort, but he found the net again with a spectacular long-range strike shortly afterwards
Kal Naismith scored twice as Wigan Athletic extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a comfortable win over relegation-threatened Stoke City.
The Latics took the lead just before the break when Kieran Dowell's cross from an acute angle squeezed under Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland.
After the break, Naismith poked home from close range when Butland fumbled Jamal Lowe's delivery before he scored a sensational second from outside the box.
It was a night to forget for Stoke, who rarely looked a threat and are only one point above the relegation places with just six games remaining.
Wigan, meanwhile, maintain the record which has seen them keep a clean sheet in their past seven matches - going past more than 10 hours since they last conceded in the process.
Wigan's victory, their third in three games since the season's resumption, took them to 50 points and moved them up to 14th in the Championship.
Sam Vokes' first-half header was the closest that Stoke came to testing the hosts.
Their defeat leaves them 20th in the table, but Michael O'Neill's side have now played a game more than 21st-placed Hull and Huddersfield in 22nd - who both play later this week before the Potters return to action on Saturday.
In-form Wigan continue their impressive record
Since losing against Preston in February, the Latics have gone nine games unbeaten - the longest current run in the Championship.
Off the back of wins against Huddersfield and Blackburn since football's return, Wigan started confidently and put together an assured first-half performance, with Lowe hitting the side-netting in the early stages.
Despite losing Michael Jacobs to injury, Wigan never faltered and his replacement Naismith almost found the net in the build-up to Dowell's opener.
Naismith had not scored in 31 games in all competitions for Wigan this season before his introduction from the bench, but scored two in the space of three minutes after the break and in some style as his side cruised to a comfortable win.
Desperate Stoke staring at relegation battle
Michael O'Neill (right) has seen his Stoke side pick up only one point from their three games since the resumption of the Championship
With the season reaching its crescendo, there was little to inspire Stoke fans from this performance as O'Neill's side await their first win since the Championship returned.
With games against promotion-chasing Leeds, Brentford and Nottingham Forest still remaining, as well as positive results for Barnsley and Luton on Tuesday, Stoke needed a good performance under their belt.
Coming into the game with a five-game winless run on their travels, however, they struggled to gain a foothold against a team which had looked like they would join them in a relegation battle not so long ago.
The hosts were camped in Stoke's half for much of the match and the visitors rarely managed to hold on to possession, with Butland at fault for the first two goals.
Naismith's stunning second goal midway through the second half ended the visitors' slim chances of getting back into the game.
Reaction
Wigan Athletic boss Paul Cook: "Credit to the players, they started the game on the front foot, they created chances and managed the game well.
"After three months out, they seem to have quickly come quite far and it's great as a manager to stand on the sidelines and see that.
"Every game in this division is a challenge and these lads are meeting that challenge head on.
"One more win will put us in a great position in the league. I feel 53 points will be a mountain for anybody to get above us that's down there, but we have to get that other win."
Stoke manager Michael O'Neill: "You have to be told the truth, which they have been in no uncertain terms. Hopefully that will resonate with them and they will react to that.
"At the end of the day, these players are in a very good situation at this club and they owe the club a lot more than they did tonight.
"I told them they should hang their heads in shame given the performance tonight."