Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Wigan Athletic 0.
West Brom 1-0 Wigan in FA Cup third round: Bakary Sako strikes to knock out Latics
- From the section FA Cup
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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.
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
West Brom
- 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
- 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
Full Time
Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Wigan Athletic 0.
Booking
Sam Field (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Sam Field (West Bromwich Albion).
Kal Naismith (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion).
Shaun MacDonald (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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.
Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Kyle Edwards tries a through ball, but Hal Robson-Kanu is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. James Morrison replaces Rekeem Harper because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Hal Robson-Kanu (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Conor Townsend.
Foul by Conor Townsend (West Bromwich Albion).
Gary Roberts (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Rekeem Harper (West Bromwich Albion) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Josh Windass (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Kal Naismith.
Booking
Chris Brunt (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Chris Brunt (West Bromwich Albion).
Kal Naismith (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Hal Robson-Kanu replaces Jonathan Leko.
Substitution
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Shaun MacDonald replaces Callum McManaman.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Kyle Bartley.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Kyle Edwards replaces Wes Hoolahan.
Delay in match Callum McManaman (Wigan Athletic) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Callum McManaman (Wigan Athletic) header from the right side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Gary Roberts with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Kyle Bartley.
Mason Holgate (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gary Roberts (Wigan Athletic).
Attempt missed. Josh Windass (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Lee Evans.
Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Jonathan Bond tries a through ball, but Bakary Sako is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Gary Roberts replaces Callum Connolly.
Attempt missed. Chris Brunt (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Rekeem Harper (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lee Evans (Wigan Athletic).
Attempt missed. Mason Holgate (West Bromwich Albion) header from very close range is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Kyle Bartley with a headed pass following a corner.
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Callum Connolly.
Foul by Mason Holgate (West Bromwich Albion).
Lee Evans (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Nathan Byrne (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
