It was a lively start for both teams, with the home side having the first clear chance after just six minutes when Calum Morris put his header over David Gonzalez’s bar after a cross from Callum McManaman.
The playing conditions proved to be particularly difficult, with passes slipping astray and players tending to slide rather than run as the rain fell persistently.
But City soon fell into their stride and began to turn their possession into chances and it wasn’t long before the Blues took the lead.
With 19 minutes gone, Abdi Ibrahim’s clever play allowed him to cross into the box to in-form striker Harry Bunn, who skipped past a Latics defender and curled the ball low into the bottom right of the net.
Opportunities to extend City’s lead before the break continued to surface. Andrew Tutte, back from a loan spell at Rochdale, fired a shot over the bar and Chris Chandler’s effort was deflected behind by Wigan midfielder Daniel Lambert. Gonzalez was rarely called into action during the first 45, with Reece Wabara clearing any danger with ease.
The second half continued with City on top, playing with both confidence and flair. A Tutte free-kick flew just inches past the post within a minute of the restart and superb play by Ibrahim just minutes later set up Scott Kay, whose one-on-one strike was tipped over by Latics ‘keeper Lee Nicholls.
It only seemed a matter of time before the Blues extended their lead, and aftrer 54 minutes Kay set up striker Jeremy Helan, who drilled his powerful shot low to give City a two-goal cushion.
However, the introduction of Wigan substitutes Ivan Sunday and Joe Holt after 60 minutes seemed to buoy the home side and, when City defender Frederic Veseli fell foul of the weather, slipping on the edge of the box, it was Sunday who slotted the ball past the onrushing Gonzalez to pull a goal back for the Latics.
Both sides had efforts rebound off the crossbar and Wigan went down to 10 men after Roman Golobart reacted viciously to an innocuous challenge, but City held on to book a home tie with holders Liverpool in the next round.
