Wigan Athletic 5-1 Milton Keynes Dons

Will Grigg fired a brilliant hat-trick to send Wigan Athletic back up to second place in League One after a spanking of MK Dons at the DW Stadium.

With promotion rivals Shrewsbury in Checkatrade Trophy action this weekend, Wigan took advantage of one of their games in hand to move two points clear of the Shrews, who are now third, with a game still in hand.

Grigg opened the scoring on 11 minutes, converting from close range after good work down the left from Michael Jacobs.

The Northern Ireland international almost got his toe to the second goal 13 minutes later, although the final touch off Nick Powell's cross was undoubtedly provided by Ethan Ebanks-Landell.

The Dons got a foothold in the game when Callum Brittain pulled one back 10 minutes before half-time.

But Wigan reasserted their authority in the second period, adding three more goals without reply.

Powell - who also hit a post - made it 3-1 with a bullet header from Gavin Massey's right-wing cross, before Grigg made it four on 74 minutes after former Wigan goalkeeper Lee Nicholls had initially tipped his shot on to the bar.

With James Vaughan ready to replace him at the next break in play, Grigg completed his hat-trick before the ball went out - making it 23 for the season, with a cool finish from Jacobs' cross.

Match report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Wigan

• 1Walton
• 2ByrneBooked at 63mins
• 22Dunkley
• 33BurnBooked at 54mins
• 3Elder
• 5Morsy
• 6Power
• 17Jacobs
• 25PowellSubstituted forRobertsat 80'minutes
• 11MasseySubstituted forWalkerat 77'minutes
• 9GriggSubstituted forVaughanat 77'minutes

Substitutes

• 4Perkins
• 7Walker
• 8Vaughan
• 14Bruce
• 18Roberts
• 23Jones
• 27Colclough

MK Dons

• 1Nicholls
• 2Williams
• 19Ebanks-Landell
• 15Ward
• 3Lewington
• 25Brittain
• 6UpsonBooked at 71mins
• 11PawlettSubstituted forUgboat 81'minutes
• 12GolbourneBooked at 11minsSubstituted forMuirheadat 64'minutes
• 10Aneke
• 14AgardBooked at 45minsSubstituted forThomas-Asanteat 70'minutes

Substitutes

• 5Wootton
• 7Reo-Coker
• 8Cissé
• 13Sietsma
• 16Muirhead
• 27Ugbo
• 31Thomas-Asante

Referee:

Seb Stockbridge

Attendance:

8,404

Match Stats

Home TeamWiganAway TeamMK Dons

Possession

Home58%

Away42%

Shots

Home15

Away7

Shots on Target

Home5

Away2

Corners

Home4

Away3

Fouls

Home10

Away15

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Wigan Athletic 5, MK Dons 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 5, MK Dons 1.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt missed. Jamie Walker (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Gary Roberts (Wigan Athletic).

Posted at 90'+3'

Ike Ugbo (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Jamie Walker (Wigan Athletic).

Posted at 89'

Dean Lewington (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 84'

Attempt missed. Chuks Aneke (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 83'

Attempt missed. Jamie Walker (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, MK Dons. Ike Ugbo replaces Peter Pawlett.

Substitution

Posted at 80'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Gary Roberts replaces Nick Powell because of an injury.

Posted at 79'

Attempt missed. Cheyenne Dunkley (Wigan Athletic) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.

Posted at 79'

Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Dean Lewington.

Substitution

Posted at 77'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Jamie Walker replaces Gavin Massey.

Substitution

Posted at 77'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. James Vaughan replaces William Grigg.

Goal!

Posted at 76'

Goal! Wigan Athletic 5, MK Dons 1. William Grigg (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Michael Jacobs.

Goal!

Posted at 74'

Goal! Wigan Athletic 4, MK Dons 1. William Grigg (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the centre of the goal.

Booking

Posted at 71'

Ed Upson (MK Dons) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 71'

Gavin Massey (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 71'

Foul by Ed Upson (MK Dons).

Posted at 70'

Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Dan Burn.

Substitution

Posted at 70'

Substitution, MK Dons. Brandon Thomas-Asante replaces Kieran Agard.

Posted at 68'

Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Ed Upson (MK Dons).

Posted at 68'

Cheyenne Dunkley (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Chuks Aneke (MK Dons).

Posted at 66'

Gavin Massey (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 66'

Foul by Dean Lewington (MK Dons).

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, MK Dons. Robbie Muirhead replaces Scott Golbourne.

Booking

Posted at 63'

Nathan Byrne (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Nathan Byrne (Wigan Athletic).

Posted at 63'

Peter Pawlett (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 62'

Foul by Gavin Massey (Wigan Athletic).

Posted at 62'

Scott Golbourne (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 61'

Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Ethan Ebanks-Landell.

Goal!

Posted at 57'

Goal! Wigan Athletic 3, MK Dons 1. Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) header from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Gavin Massey.

Posted at 57'

Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Booking

Posted at 54'

Dan Burn (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 54'

Foul by Dan Burn (Wigan Athletic).

Posted at 54'

Chuks Aneke (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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