West Brom 1-0 Wigan in FA Cup third round: Bakary Sako strikes to knock out Latics

West Bromwich Albion reached the FA Cup fourth round with a narrow win over 2013 winners Wigan Athletic.

In a third-round tie between two under-strength sides, Bakary Sako headed the only goal of the game after 31 minutes to book a place in Monday's draw.

Wigan keeper Jamie Jones superbly saved Chris Brunt's 25-yard free kick, clawing it out of the top-right corner.

But, from the resulting corner kick, Brunt crossed for Sako to head in off the underside of the bar.

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Despite being bolstered by reduced ticket price offers, the crowd of 15,465 was still more than 10,000 down on the 25,555 who turned up for Albion's 2-0 Championship win over the Latics 10 days earlier.

That was always likely in the event of expected mass team changes following a busy programme of festive fixtures and, between them, Baggies head coach Darren Moore and Wigan manager Paul Cook made 16 of them.

Albion's nine alterations added to the seven made by Wigan, which included a late, unexpected one when midfielder Darron Gibson pulled out after the warm-up, to be replaced by Lee Evans.

For most of an under-par game, five-times FA Cup winners Albion always looked the more likely winners, especially once Sako had netted his first goal for the club.

Keeper Jones got his fingertips to Sako's header to turn it onto the bar, then argued that the ball had not crossed the line, but television replays confirmed the goal stood.

Sako was denied a second goal after the break when he raced onto a pass by Rekeem Harper but was twice thwarted, first by Jones and then by Chey Dunkley's clearance off the line.

Jones also denied Albion's Sam Field from fellow midfielder Wes Hoolahan's pass, Wigan went close with a header over from Baggies old boy Callum McManaman, while Dunkley just failed to latch onto Kal Naismith's far-post free-kick.

Wigan have not won now in five away FA Cup ties since beating Manchester City 2-1 in the quarter-final in March 2014 - the year after famously beating City at Wembley.

West Bromwich Albion head coach Darren Moore told BBC Sport:

"I'm very happy with the result and the performance. It was a 1-0 win but the way we dominated, we could have won by more.

"I'm delighted for Bakary to come in and score the winner but he could have got another one when he went through.

"We used the ball well and worked extremely hard off the ball. And I was pleased with the way the experienced players helped the youngsters through.

"I was pleased with the fans' patience. They've now seen a little bit of the flavour of talent that we've got within the club."

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Cook:

"It was a tough game for us in general. We start games really well, we miss a chance or two and then we get punished.

"As a manager you can only say 'are the players doing enough?' and I think they are working hard and doing enough.

"The players are doing everything they can do in games. We have clear water in our focus.

"We must now show the unity to keep us in the division. The focus is the target of the achievement of staying in the league."

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

West Brom

Formation 4-3-1-2

23Bond
68Holgate
5Bartley
24Adarabioyo
14Townsend
34HarperSubstituted forMorrisonat 87'minutes
28FieldBooked at 90mins
11BruntBooked at 79mins
22HoolahanSubstituted forEdwardsat 72'minutes
20LekoSubstituted forRobson-Kanuat 79'minutes
6Sako

Substitutes

4Robson-Kanu
7Morrison
12Mears
21Edwards
32Fitzwater
39Palmer
40Howkins

Wigan

Formation 4-2-3-1

23Jones
2ByrneBooked at 58mins
22Dunkley
21Kipre
20Naismith
26ConnollyBooked at 29minsSubstituted forRobertsat 66'minutes
36Evans
19Da Silva LopesSubstituted forJamesat 57'minutes
10Windass
15McManamanSubstituted forMacDonaldat 77'minutes
9Grigg

Substitutes

1Walton
8Vaughan
12James
16MacDonald
18Roberts
41Garner

Referee:: Keith Stroud
Attendance:: 15,465

Match Stats

Home TeamWest BromAway TeamWigan

Possession: Home55%; Away45%

Shots: Home12; Away9

Shots on Target: Home6; Away2

Corners: Home3; Away7

Fouls: Home10; Away13

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Wigan Athletic 0.
90'+6'
Full Time
Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Wigan Athletic 0.

90'+5'
Booking
Sam Field (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+5'
Post update
Foul by Sam Field (West Bromwich Albion).
90'+5'
Post update
Kal Naismith (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'+2'
Post update
Foul by James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion).
90'+2'
Post update
Shaun MacDonald (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+1'
Post update
Attempt saved. William Grigg (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Gary Roberts with a cross.
90'+1'
Post update
Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Kyle Edwards tries a through ball, but Hal Robson-Kanu is caught offside.
87'
Substitution
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. James Morrison replaces Rekeem Harper because of an injury.
87'
Post update
Attempt missed. Hal Robson-Kanu (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Conor Townsend.
85'
Post update
Foul by Conor Townsend (West Bromwich Albion).
85'
Post update
Gary Roberts (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
82'
Post update
Delay in match Rekeem Harper (West Bromwich Albion) because of an injury.
80'
Post update
Attempt missed. Josh Windass (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Kal Naismith.
79'
Booking
Chris Brunt (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
79'
Post update
Foul by Chris Brunt (West Bromwich Albion).
79'
Post update
Kal Naismith (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
79'
Substitution
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Hal Robson-Kanu replaces Jonathan Leko.

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36 comments

For #3 (Jaywalk) - "pub teams"? Well, they don't have the resources of the top of the EPL, but every country has a 'pyramid' of football, not every team can be owned by zillionaires. Perhaps you'd prefer if all the football available was just the same, say 8, teams endlessly playing each other? Oh, & emind us how pub team Leicester won the EPL a couple of years ago - shouldn't be allowed?
@ 3 - Do you really need to garner down votes on every HYS? Pathetic troll.
Didn't fancy us at all when saw the team but some of the kids did well and we just about edged it.
A Wolf saved the baggies... Interesting.

And they aren't "Pub" teams. I am guessing you are Scousers annoyed that the BBC for once aren't talking about Spurs or LFC.
COME ON YOU BAGGIES! 😃
Boing boing
Spare a thought for Villa :-D Statistically Smith has done the same as Bruce, which for me is excellent!
JAYRM surely a village is missing you?
26. I'm with you on that! We have done 'okay' this season. We should be top of the pile when you look how it has gone. But, it could be worse, we could be Stoke or Villa. Both sets of fans were vying for bragging rights in August! West Brom's fans weren't, although I did fancy us. I still do. I think if you placed a bet on your prediction you will be alright. BTW I had the Wolves in the top half!
So the highlights fail to show the best chance of the second half. Would like to have seen how the Wigan player cleared it off the line.

Harper is one to watch, looks a great player.
Good result for our reserves. Sako was a decent player when he was last in the championship at Wo1ve5, at the time I was disappointed Palace and not us signed him when he left them. Hopefully this goal will be the start of a return to his form of 3-4 years ago.
30 wobbly wolves, first game Wolves v Everton 1961, always let lots of goals in?? Only the top six have a better defence than us, last season, no-one did, what a ridiculous statement!, And your always fancy the baggies over us!! What sort of a fan are you? CONMAN
25. Bang on palace deserved it wwfc were dire. Ps i tipped wba to stroll the championship you ended last season so well something wrong your not 10 pts clear
24. It was, but still better than your game against Palace.
It’s never about the result. Always the pies, which were sub standard on this occasion.

ALL TOGETHER NOW....
I can't say I expected Wigan to win this match, given their horrendous run of form. The season started so well, but after a rash of injuries to key players and a retrenchment of tactics by Cook, the club's form is just about the worst it could possibly be. The FA Cup is very important to Wigan Athletic, it always will be. But this season is now about finding a way to stay in the Championship.
As a Wigan fan I am getting very concerned there is something seriously wrong .The team look disinterested in virtually every game were involved in.Thought the FA Cup might get them going (I know we made seven changes) but today was shocking .Out of the Cup and going down. Cook you need to halt this slide and quickly.
For Albion fans the thing to take from this game is with so many changes the style of play remained the same. Unlike in the past when managers have bought in players who hadn't be involved. Some decent performances form the kids but to be honest they were not facing much. Wigan never really out the game but lets be honest if you are relying on the workrate of Mcmanaman it's not going to happen.
Cook is convincing himself that were not far from other teams is respect of talent but we had the same issues two seasons ago under caldwell and he who shall not be named .we cant score and cant defend .if this continues we shall be competing with bolton instead of blackburn for league one next season. Iec need to put their money where their mouths are.
Boggies too busy concentrating on us and the wobbly dogs heads (ay they) forever under our shadow, ALL of you.
Yes ok, our reserves were KO by a tinpot welsh side whilst formartine we're putting 14 past fort william.

We will smash these pie lot at their place next week by at least 4/5. Hull, Ipswich & Reading to follow + 12 pts on our way back.

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West Brom 1-0 Wigan in FA Cup third round: Bakary Sako strikes to knock out Latics