Wigan shook off their FA Cup disappointment to move within striking distance of Sky Bet League One's top two with a 3-0 win at struggling Walsall.
Three goals in 10 first-half minutes put Wigan a point behind second-placed Shrewsbury with two games in hand as new Walsall boss Dean Keates watched from the stands.
The Latics - FA Cup quarter-final losers to Southampton on Sunday - started brightly as Chey Dunkley headed wide from Max Power's early corner.
Wigan led on 31 minutes as Nick Powell's exquisite low cross picked out Michael Jacobs to steer home at the far post.
The Latics doubled their lead four minutes later as a free-kick fell to Jay Fulton 18 yards out and he lashed a fine finish into the bottom corner.
It was game over on 40 minutes as Saddlers keeper Liam Roberts spilled a corner and Dunkley rifled home Wigan's third from close range.
Walsall sought a consolation after the break but Latics keeper Christian Walton twice denied Kieron Morris and saved at Amadou Bakayoko's feet to leave the Saddlers just four points off the drop.
English League One Standings
POS | Team | GP | GD | PTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Peterborough United | 31 | +25 | 62 |
2 | Hull City | 33 | +26 | 59 |
3 | Lincoln City | 31 | +17 | 57 |
4 | Sunderland | 31 | +21 | 54 |
5 | Portsmouth | 31 | +18 | 52 |
6 | Doncaster Rovers | 29 | +12 | 52 |
7 | Ipswich Town | 30 | +6 | 50 |
8 | Accrington Stanley | 30 | +8 | 47 |
9 | Charlton Athletic | 32 | +2 | 47 |
10 | Oxford United | 30 | +8 | 46 |
11 | Crewe Alexandra | 32 | +2 | 45 |
12 | Plymouth Argyle | 32 | -8 | 45 |
13 | Blackpool | 28 | +7 | 44 |
14 | Gillingham | 32 | -2 | 44 |
15 | Milton Keynes Dons | 32 | +3 | 42 |
16 | Fleetwood Town | 32 | +6 | 40 |
17 | Shrewsbury Town | 29 | -1 | 38 |
18 | Burton Albion | 30 | -18 | 31 |
19 | Swindon Town | 32 | -20 | 31 |
20 | Bristol Rovers | 31 | -20 | 30 |
21 | AFC Wimbledon | 30 | -23 | 29 |
22 | Northampton Town | 32 | -23 | 29 |
23 | Rochdale | 32 | -18 | 28 |
24 | Wigan Athletic | 32 | -28 | 27 |
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