Match ends, Rochdale 0, Wigan Athletic 2.
RochdaleRochdale0WiganWigan Athletic2
Wigan scored a goal in each half to seal victory at Rochdale.
Donervon Daniels' low drive from 20 yards was kept out by Dale keeper Josh Lillis before an unmarked Jason Pearce headed home Michael Jacobs' whipped free-kick at the back post.
After the break Joe Bunney scooped over the bar from close range after Wigan's Jussi Jaaskelainen spilled a cross.
Jacobs made it 2-0 on the hour by poking home from 12 yards off the underside of the crossbar.
Bunney later forced a fine fingertip save from Jaaskelainen with a low curled shot from 20 yards, while Lillis was at full stretch to keep out David Perkins' fierce late strike.
The victory temporarily saw Wigan move into fifth place and within two points of League One leaders Walsall and Burton.
Meanwhile, the Latics have been drawn at home to Barnsley in the northern area semi-finals of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.
Wigan manager Gary Caldwell told BBC Radio Manchester:
"It's our first clean sheet away from home and it's something we spoke about in recent weeks, so to get that is pleasing.
"First half, we thought we could have scored more; second half, we didn't play as well with the ball, but we looked pretty solid.
"Although they had a lot of the ball, we kept it in front of us and restricted them to shots from distance and scored a fantastic counter-attack at the right time.
"We're constantly growing as a team and that's shown by the results that we are getting."
Rochdale manager Keith Hill told BBC Radio Manchester:
"We're not quite on point with our performance individual or collectively. We came up with a game plan, but I think Wigan were really at it today and that's the inconsistencies of the league.
"If you look at it on paper with resources, being able to recruit players, we're a million miles apart. For the first 20 minutes, we looked a million miles apart.
"I'm disappointed with the nature of the first goal we concede, but we grew into the game.
"The finances that have assembled that team are something we could only dream about.
"It would probably be 10 seasons worth of budget that would accumulate that type of side. We'd never be able to do that."
Line-ups
Rochdale
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lillis
- 27CannonSubstituted forMcDermottat 81'minutes
- 5EasthamBooked at 34mins
- 4McNulty
- 17Tanser
- 3Bennett
- 25RoseSubstituted forHendersonat 63'minutes
- 7Vincenti
- 28Camps
- 19Mendez-LaingSubstituted forAndrewat 62'minutes
- 39Bunney
Substitutes
- 6Lancashire
- 9Andrew
- 10Alessandra
- 12McDermott
- 21Musangu
- 33Kennedy
- 40Henderson
Wigan
Formation 4-4-2
- 32Jääskeläinen
- 5Daniels
- 20MorganBooked at 36mins
- 28Pearce
- 2JamesSubstituted forMcCannat 37'minutes
- 31Wildschut
- 6PowerSubstituted forChowat 81'minutes
- 4Perkins
- 17Jacobs
- 12Revell
- 10DaviesSubstituted forCowieat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 1O'Donnell
- 7McCann
- 8Cowie
- 9Grigg
- 18Chow
- 22Francisco Júnior
- 25Barnett
- Referee:
- Neil Swarbrick
- Attendance:
- 3,835
Match Stats
Home TeamRochdaleAway TeamWigan
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away5
- Corners
- Home3
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Rochdale 0, Wigan Athletic 2.
Post update
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Josh Lillis.
Post update
Attempt saved. David Perkins (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Jason Pearce (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Calvin Andrew (Rochdale).
Post update
Yanic Wildschut (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jimmy McNulty (Rochdale).
Substitution
Substitution, Rochdale. Donal McDermott replaces Andrew Cannon.
Substitution
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Tim Chow replaces Max Power.
Post update
Corner, Rochdale. Conceded by Jussi Jääskeläinen.
Post update
Attempt saved. Joe Bunney (Rochdale) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
(Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ian Henderson (Rochdale).
Post update
Attempt saved. Calvin Andrew (Rochdale) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Craig Morgan (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Calvin Andrew (Rochdale).
Post update
Attempt missed. Ian Henderson (Rochdale) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Don Cowie replaces Craig Davies.
Substitution
Substitution, Rochdale. Ian Henderson replaces Michael Rose.
