Match ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Wigan Athletic 4.
Nottingham Forest 1-4 Wigan Athletic
- From the section Championship
Wigan warmed up for their FA Cup sixth-round clash with Manchester City by thrashing Nottingham Forest.
Jamie Paterson's drive cancelled out Martyn Waghorn's scrambled opener for Wigan.
But Emmerson Boyce headed home Waghorn's volley; James McArthur latched onto James McClean's blocked shot; and Jordi Gomez swerved a final-minute shot into the top corner.
The win moves Wigan into the play-off places, three points behind Forest.
Billy Davies's team have played a game more than the Latics, who have won five matches in a row.
Last season's cup-winners play Manchester City next weekend and Uwe Rosler's side will be in good spirits after obliterating Forest's seven-match unbeaten run at the City Ground.
Since Rosler took over from Owen Coyle in December, Wigan have lost just two Championship games, winning nine and drawing three.
On-loan Leicester man Waghorn put Wigan ahead after Gomez's shot was blocked and Karl Darlow lay prone on the ground.
Forest equalised after the break, as Jamie Mackie's cross found Simon Cox, who laid the ball off for Paterson to drive home.
The scores were not level for long, however, as Boyce nodded Waghorn's volley past Darlow.
Soon after, James McClean's charged down shot dropped to McArthur, who blasted home to make it 3-1.
Forest pushed on, looking to get back into the game, but Gomez sealed the points in the final minute, curling a shot into the corner from 20 yards.
Wigan manager Uwe Rosler: "These teams above us are now in our sights. We should not be happy just to stay in the top six, we want to catch the guys in front of us.
"Automatic (promotion) is a little optimistic, but I am talking about the teams who are third, fourth or fifth.
"I said March and April would be decisive. We knew this would be the time of the year when the prizes were earned."
Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies: "The fact that we are still in the top six with so many players out tells you how well the team has done so far this season.
"We are now relying on our under-21 coach, Jonathan Greening, to play in midfield, and that tells you exactly what our position is.
"There are 13 games to go and I have said all along there will be twists and turns. Until it is mathematically impossible, then anything is possible. We will continue to be positive."
Line-ups
Nottm Forest
- 1Darlow
- 2LichajSubstituted forCollinsat 45+1'minutes
- 13FoxBooked at 72mins
- 18JaraSubstituted forAbdounat 74'minutes
- 16Lascelles
- 15Halford
- 12Mackie
- 14GreeningSubstituted forDjebbourat 69'minutes
- 31Cox
- 28Majewski
- 21Paterson
Substitutes
- 3Harding
- 5Collins
- 19Djebbour
- 27Derbyshire
- 29de Vries
- 32Gomis
- 39Abdoun
Wigan
- 26Al-Habsi
- 24Perch
- 22BeausejourBooked at 52minsSubstituted forCraineyat 55'minutes
- 16McArthur
- 17Boyce
- 25Barnett
- 7McCann
- 14Gómez García-Penche
- 29MaynardSubstituted forFortunéat 77'minutes
- 33WaghornSubstituted forTunnicliffeat 78'minutes
- 11McClean
Substitutes
- 3Crainey
- 4McEachran
- 13Nicholls
- 15McManaman
- 21Ramis
- 31Tunnicliffe
- 32Fortuné
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 23,114
Match Stats
Home TeamNottm ForestAway TeamWigan
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away20
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away6
- Corners
- Home2
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away9
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Wigan Athletic 4.
Foul by Daniel Fox (Nottingham Forest).
James McClean (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Goal!
Goal! Nottingham Forest 1, Wigan Athletic 4. Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by James McClean.
Attempt missed. Jamie Paterson (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is high and wide to the right.
Attempt missed. Radoslaw Majewski (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
James McArthur (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest).
Offside, Nottingham Forest. Karl Darlow tries a through ball, but Djamel Abdoun is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Marc-Antoine Fortuné (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Foul by James McArthur (Wigan Athletic).
Radoslaw Majewski (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Ryan Tunnicliffe replaces Martyn Waghorn.
Attempt missed. James McClean (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Marc-Antoine Fortuné replaces Nicky Maynard.
Substitution
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Djamel Abdoun replaces Gonzalo Jara.
Foul by Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic).
Radoslaw Majewski (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Stephen Crainey.
Booking
Daniel Fox (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Martyn Waghorn (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Daniel Fox (Nottingham Forest).
Goal!
Goal! Nottingham Forest 1, Wigan Athletic 3. James McArthur (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Martyn Waghorn.
Attempt blocked. James McClean (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James McArthur.
Substitution
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Rafik Djebbour replaces Jonathan Greening.
Goal!
Goal! Nottingham Forest 1, Wigan Athletic 2. Emmerson Boyce (Wigan Athletic) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Martyn Waghorn.
Attempt blocked. Martyn Waghorn (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Jamaal Lascelles.
Attempt blocked. Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Martyn Waghorn.
Attempt saved. James Perch (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by James McClean with a cross.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Greg Halford.
Offside, Nottingham Forest. Karl Darlow tries a through ball, but Jamie Mackie is caught offside.
Foul by Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest).
Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jamie Paterson (Nottingham Forest).
James Perch (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Jamaal Lascelles (Nottingham Forest) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Daniel Fox with a cross following a set piece situation.
Jamie Mackie (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Stephen Crainey (Wigan Athletic).