Josh Magennis scored as Wigan beat Bristol Rovers (Martin Rickett/PA)
A goal in either half from Josh Magennis and Jonny Smith gave Wigan a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers at the DW Stadium.
Baba Adeeko saw a powerful early shot tipped round the post by Rovers goalkeeper Jed Ward before Magennis headed wide from a Smith cross.
Ward made a fine save to keep out Thelo Aasgaard’s header off a Charlie Hughes cross while ex-Wigan man Scott Sinclair had a shot deflected wide at the other end.
But that was about as good as it got for Rovers, who fell behind on the half-hour as Magennis steered home Luke Chambers’ cross.
Smith doubled the lead himself three minutes after the restart when he cut in off the right-hand side and fired into the opposite corner of the net.
Magennis thought he had added a third when he side-footed home from another Chambers cross, only to turn and see the offside flag up.
Aasgaard sent a 25-yard shot flying inches over the top before substitute Martial Godo fired past Ward only for James Wilson to somehow get back and clear the ball off the line.
