The Blues exited the FA Cup following a valiant 10-man display after Ethan Robson’s early red card.
Mike Williamson made six changes to his side that were defeated last weekend against Cheltenham Town - Gabe Breeze, Aaron Hayden, Dan Adu-Adjei, Harrison Neal, Jon Mellish and Tyler Burey entered the XI.
Scott Smith found the bottom corner in extra-time, before Jonny Smith rolled home into an empty net in the dying moments after Gabe Breeze went forward for a corner.
Adu-Adjei came flying out the traps on his return to action for United, driving inside and striking on goal with his left-foot, forcing Sam Tickle to turn behind for a corner.
On 14 minutes, Ethan Robson was shown his marching orders after going into a 50/50 challenge with Steven Sessegnon. An early blow United could’ve done without.
Despite this, the Blues came close to opening the scoring six minutes later. After playing out from the back, Terell Thomas pinged a ball over the Latics’ defence to Taylor Charters, who knocked it inside to Adu-Adjei, but the forward’s header was no threat on Tickle’s goal.
Thelo Aasgaard came close to finding the net from a free-kick, but it went just over Breeze’s crossbar before the hosts went straight up the other end on 25 minutes and after connecting with Charters’ free-kick, Aaron Hayden came agonisingly close to scoring at the back post. Tickle came to the rescue once again for Wigan, making a top save.
Close to the half-hour mark, Harrison Neal saved Carlisle on two occasions in quick succession. Firstly making a brilliant challenge to turn away Wigan’s cross from the left - which went for a corner and came to nothing, prior to blocking Aasgaard’s effort from outside the box.
Tyler Burey showed great energy down United’s right as they looked to counter following some patient defensive play, after reaching the byline, he sent a ball towards the far post where Charters and Jon Mellish were arriving - it went out for a corner, which was cleared by the Latics.
HALF-TIME: United 0-0 Wigan Athletic
Gabe Breeze started the second-half by making an easy save after a Wigan defender pulled the trigger from distance.
Mellish had a good chance to find the opener seven minutes into the second 45 after Dominic Sadi picked him out from a corner. The defender’s nodded effort landed wide of the visitors’ goal.
On 53 minutes, Dale Taylor found himself free on the left and looked to find an arriving teammate in the centre of Breeze’s box. Lavelle managed to get back and make a superb challenge to avert the danger.
Following a sustained period of pressure from the visitors, the ball eventually found its way into the box towards Aasgaard, whose header landed off target.
With 20 minutes of regular time remaining, Thomas drifted forward and had a shot on goal which was denied, before Breeze made a tremendous stop at the other end to keep the contest level.
Wigan piled on the pressure in the closing stages. Substitute Jonny Smith was denied on two occasions, Breeze firstly made an outstanding save, prior to Thomas clearing off the line.
As we entered the final few minutes, Breeze was called into action again, making two saves to keep United in the tie.
FULL-TIME: United 0-0 Wigan Athletic
Scott Smith was next to test Breeze at the start of extra-time, driving an effort towards his right-hand post, which our ‘keeper was equal to.
Before Jack Robinson was found in acres of space down the left, he looked to find Sadi in the centre of Tickle’s box, but he was unable to get a good connection onto the ball and it was then cleared.
Terell Thomas would be United’s next saviour, being in the right place at the right time to clear as Scott Smith looked to square to a teammate for a tap-in.
One minute before the break in extra-time, Scott Smith finally found the breakthrough for the visitors after having several efforts previously denied on United's goal - his shot rolled into the bottom corner.
HALF-TIME (ET): United 0-1 Wigan Athletic
Sadi came inches from restoring parity for United following a corner after the ball dropped to him kindly outside the area, but his right-footed effort was palmed away by Tickle at the start of the second extra-time period.
The Blues continued to push in the final moments, even sending Sam Lavelle forward to play as a target man.
On 118 minutes, Tickle saved Wigan once again, this time clawing Luke Armstrong’s header out of the top corner superbly.
Carlisle would have one final chance to level proceedings from a corner. Breeze was sent forward to help the search for an equaliser following a Man of the Match display. The set-piece was ultimately cleared and Jonny Smith found himself through with an empty net to shoot at, making it two and booking the Latics’ place in the next round of the FA Cup.
FULL-TIME (AET): United 0-2 Wigan Athletic
Teams:
Carlisle United - Breeze, Thomas (111’ Barclay), Lavelle ©, Hayden (75’ Robinson), Robson, Adu-Adjei (59’ Armstrong), Charters (75’ Harper), Neal, Mellish, Sadi, Burey (59’ Ellis)
Unused subs - Lewis, Guy, Vela, Hopper
Wigan Athletic - Tickle, Sessegnon (46’ Ramsey), Rankine (46’ J. Smith), M. Smith, Aasgaard, Olakigbe (46’ Thomas), Kerr ©, Sibbick, Robinson (57’ S. Smith), Taylor (76’ Hugill), Francois
Unused subs - Watson, Weir, Carragher, Asamoah
Goals:
Carlisle United - N/A
Wigan Athletic - (105’ S. Smith), (120+1’ J. Smith)
Yellow card:
Carlisle United - (61' Neal), (87' Lavelle)
Wigan Athletic - (25' Rankine), (33' Olakigbe)
Red card:
Carlisle United - (14' Robson)
Wigan Athletic - N/A
Match officials:
Referee - Martin Woods
Assistant Referee - Simon Clayton
Assistant Referee - Natalie Aspinall
Fourth Official - Mark Bell
Attendance:
4,532 (1,257 away)
