The result keeps latics second bottom of the Barclays Premier Reserve League North but with a four point gap between themselves and rivals Bolton.
Reserve coach David Lowe named an experienced line up with the likes of Mahon, Johansson, Connolly and Ziegler all having an important role to play. Barnsley trialist Scott Flinders was also given a chance to impress in the latics goal against the league’s leading scorer, Giuseppe Rossi.
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Eight minutes in United keeper Luke Steele handled outside the area and was lucky to only receive a caution. However from the resulting free kick, on-loan winger Reto Ziegler curled a superb effort into the bottom left hand corner of the net to give latics a shock lead.
Wigan continued to dominate and after 20 minutes the pressure told. Alan Mahon floated a left wing cross over the United offside line to leave David Connolly one on one with the goalkeeper. The striker held his nerve to slot the ball home and make it 2-0 to latics.
Wigan were in full control of the game and after 32 minutes Alan Mahon tried a cheeky chip from the half way line which Steele scrambled back to save, confirming latics supreme confidence.
Minutes before half time Giuseppe Rossi found himself one on one with latics keeper Flinders, but a over hit lob towering the net excused Wigan’s blushes and left them 2-0 up at the break.
Wigan started the second half with David Owens replacing the injured David Thompson on the right wing.
Soon after, United’s young striker Michael Barnes clipped Andreas Johansson in the area, but Alan Mahon was unable to put away the resulting penalty.
Wigan piled on sustained pressure and as United pushed up the field, latics took advantage. 60 minutes in Mahon found himself in some space and from 35 yards out hit a screamer into the top right hand corner of the net, hoping to impress an on looking Paul Jewell.
Just when the capacity crowd thought it couldn’t get any better, Andreas Johansson made it four, his shot deflecting past the keeper and into the open net on 76 minutes.
As the game drew to a close, Scott Flinders capped off an impressive performance with the save of the match, preventing a curling effort from United substitute Kieran Lee and denying any consolation for Rene Meulensteen's side in front of the MUTV cameras.
The reserves’ next game is away to Liverpool on Monday 20th March.
Teams:
Man United:
Steele, Bardsley, Evra, M Howard, Vidic, Gibson, Neumayr, Pigue, Barnes, Rossi, Fortune
Subs: Marsh, Ziel, Lee, Moran, Mullan
Wigan:
Flinders, Heywood, Waterhouse, Jackson, Lee, Francis, Thompson, Mahon, Johansson, Connolly, Ziegler
Subs: Roberts, Saunders, Montrose, Owens, Hazeldine.
Goals:
Wigan: Ziegler (8), Connolly (19), Mahon (60), Johansson (76)
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