Wrexham 0-0 Wigan Athletic (4-2 pens): Dragons knock Latics out of Carabao Cup on spot kicks

Thelo Aasgaard's penalty miss ensured Wrexham secured their place in the second round

Football League new boys Wrexham knocked League One Wigan Athletic out of the Carabao Cup 4-2 on penalties.

Neither side could be separated in an evenly matched 90 minutes at the Stok Racecourse and the tie went straight to penalties.

Wigan's Charlie Hughes and Thelo Aasgaard blazed their penalties over the crossbar to hand Wrexham victory.

The Dragons are through to the second round of the EFL Cup for the first time since 2007.

Back then they lost 5-0 at home to Aston Villa, when Shaun Maloney scored twice for Villa.

Nearly 16 years on the former Scotland international was again in opposition, this time as Wigan boss.

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson had promised changes after his side's defeat to MK Dons in their League Two opener and only three players kept their places, while Wigan's team showed four changes from the one that won 2-1 at Derby County.

An open first 10 minutes saw chances for both sides with Wrexham striker Jake Bickerstaff's overhead kick from a corner ending on the roof of the net.

At the other end, Hughes' pinpoint long pass found Stephen Humphrys, who from a tight angle forced home goalkeeper Mark Howard to tip the ball over the bar.

Wrexham edged a pretty even first half with Ollie Palmer heading over from Callum McFadzean's cross before James Jones' fierce low drive was parried by Sam Tickle before Wigan managed to clear.

Palmer sent a curling effort wide of Tickle's post and Jones also fired wide as Wrexham seized the initiative early in the second half.

The Wigan keeper again had to deny Jones, parrying his shot from outside the box before denying Jordan Davies' follow up, only for Luke Young to then fire over.

Wigan in response up to that point had been restricted to a Chris Sze effort, which the midfielder put over the crossbar, although as the game entered the final quarter Humphrys flashed a shot wide of the post.

Charlie Wyke's header over the bar from Hughes' cross from the right proved to be the final chance to break the deadlock and so penalties were required to settle the tie.

Young, Elliot Lee and Tom O'Connor successfully converted their spot kicks while Wigan substitute Wyke and Humphrys put away their penalties.

Hughes sent Wigan's third kick over the crossbar and with Sam Dalby scoring Wrexham's fourth kick, Aasgaard had to score to keep Wigan's hopes alive.

But the Norwegian Under-21 international also blazed his shot over the bar to give Wrexham the victory and a place in the next round.

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said:

"It was important we responded to the weekend, which was an uncharacteristic Wrexham performance, and we did.

"We put in a very structured, disciplined performance and that was very important because sometimes when you need to get your season off and running, that's' the way to do it.

"We got the fundamentals of our game back in place tonight and despite Wigan having possession, we probably had the best chances in the game to have won it in 90 minutes."