Stoke booked their place in the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 1-0 victory at Championship rivals Wigan.
The scoreline was hugely flattering to the home side, whose breakthrough came inside 10 minutes when a corner from the right was nodded on at the near post, and then back in by Liam Lindsay with a final touch almost on the line by Nathan Collins.
Stoke’s Sam Vokes sent an early effort just over and Wigan were let off the hook again when Mark Duffy flicked a free header from a left-wing cross wide of the mark.
Wigan had half a shout for a penalty just after the half-time mark when the ball appeared to strike the upper arm of Vokes. The referee, though, was unmoved – and Vokes was soon in action at the other end, again firing just over the bar.
Stoke thought they had a second goal when McClean’s shot was flicked on by Vokes and well saved by Jones, before being turned in by Sam Clucas. The flag was up on the far side for offside, though, and Wigan breathed again.
Stoke substitute Peter Etebo tried his luck with a blasted free-kick that almost took off the head of Wigan’s Joe Williams and Tyrese Campbell also came close to making it 2-0 at the death, but was twice brilliantly denied by Jones. Scott Hogan sent another effort against a post from close range.
