Wigan Athletic produced a strong second-half display to beat Ipswich Town 4-1 at Portman Road.
Cattermole, Kapo, Scharner and Camara send Wigan through
Wigan Athletic produced a strong second-half performance to beat Ipswich Town 4-1 at Portman Road in the Carling Cup third round.
The Premier League side scored three times after the break after being severely tested by Ipswich during the first period.
Only desperate defending at times kept Wigan on level terms, although Egyptian striker Amr Zaki struck the crossbar with a free-kick at the end of the opening 45 minutes.
The Latics made the breakthrough on 52 minutes courtesy of Lee Cattermole's scruffy finish, only for Ipswich to level through Jon Walters' cushioned volley on 61 minutes.
However, Wigan were back in front three minutes later through Olivier Kapo and Paul Scharner finished from close range on 70 minutes.
In stoppage time, substitute Henri Camara got in on the act by heading beyond Richard Wright after a corner had been directed goalwards.
Ipswich had the better of the early exchanges and nearly took a fourth minute lead when a 20-yard David Norris drive was tipped around the post by visiting goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.
Confidence grows
Wigan were close to going ahead with their first shot on goal after 12 minutes but Richard Wright tipped Emile Heskey's effort from the edge of the box around the post.
The Tractor Boys grew in confidence as the first half developed and striker Walters should have done better on 26 minutes when he fired over from 10 yards following link-up play with Kevin Lisbie.
Tommy Miller went close for the home side soon after but his curling effort was deflected just wide. From the resulting corner, Alex Bruce had a header cleared off the line by Cattermole.
As the ball was played back in, Ivan Campo had another header scrambled off the goal-line by former Ipswich man Titus Bramble, the visitors' skipper for the night.
Heskey had another chance in the 37th minute but his low drive was saved at full stretch by Wright.
In first-half stoppage-time, Wright tipped a Zaki free-kick on to the crossbar.
Stirred into action
Wigan broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute when Wright palmed a 25-yard Wilson Palacios free-kick into the path of Cattermole, who bundled the ball home from close range.
Ipswich equalised in the 61st minute when Alan Quinn crossed from the left wing for Walters to volley home at the far post.
The goal seemed to stir Wigan into action and Kevin Kilbane headed narrowly over for the visitors after 63 minutes following an Antonio Valencia corner.
Wigan did regain their lead on 64 minutes when Heskey nodded a Kilbane cross into the path of Olivier Kapo, who made no mistake with a drilled 10-yard effort.
Wigan extended their lead in the 70th minute when Scharner flicked into the net after Zaki had headed down Valencia's corner.
The 2006 finalists extended their lead in stoppage-time through substitute Henri Camara, who flicked home a Bramble volley following a corner from Daniel De Ridder.
| Ipswich Town |
Team Statistics |
Wigan Athletic |
| 1 |
Goals |
4 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 6 |
Shots on Target |
9 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
| 5 |
Corners |
8 |
| 18 |
Fouls |
15 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
5 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 52 |
Possession |
48 |
|
