Wigan Athletic lose to Wolverhampton Wanderers but delay relegation

Benik Afobe's goal midway through the first half condemned Wigan Athletic to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers, but Gary Caldwell's side survive in the Championship for another week thanks to results elsewhere.

Wigan came roaring out of the blocks, and could have been ahead inside the opening few minutes when James McClean skipped his way into the Wolves box and smashed an effort into the side-netting.

Jermaine Pennant's run and shot was then tipped onto the bar by Tomasz Kuszczak as the home side kept up their early dominance.

Against the run of play, Afobe deflated Wigan's players when he fired home Bakary Sako's free kick at the back post on 25 minutes.

Emmerson Boyce curled narrowly wide just before the break, and McClean poked Jason Pearce's cross narrowly over the top just after the restart as Wigan responded well.

Caldwell's team started the second half as strongly as they had the first, but failed to carve out much in the way of clear-cut chances as the game wore on.

They then had Scott Carson to thank for keeping them in the tie - and the league, for now at least - with a smart reaction save from a David Edwards header.

Substitute Marc-Antoine Fortune came the closest to dragging Wigan back into the game, but his powerful effort six minutes from time was beaten away by Kuszczak.

The Latics then had a late appeal for a penalty waved away, before McClean was dismissed deep into injury time for a second bookable offence.