Wigan 1 Shrewsbury 0 - Report and pictures

Alex Revell's 36th-minute header was all that separated the sides in the end but, after being forced to defend for long periods of the first-half, Town came into it after the break.

Sullay Kaikai had one shot saved and fired two more just wide while he appeared to have a claim for a penalty after Chris McCann appeared to bundle him over.

But in an increasingly open game, Wigan were denied by goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler three times through substitute Craig Davies, Chris McCann and Max Power and just about deserved their win.

Wigan (3-4-1-2): Jaaskelainen; Daniels, Morgan, McCann; Chow, Perkins, Power, James; Jacobs (Grigg 14); Revell (Davies 77), Wildschut.

Subs not used: Cowie, Junior, L Barnett, Pearce, O'Donnell (gk).

Town (4-5-1): Leutwiler; Grandison, Gerrard, Whitbread, Sadler; Kaikai, Ogogo, Black (Lawrence 58), Cole, Brown (Vernon 51); Collins (T Barnett 79).

Subs not used: Whalley, McAlinden, Smith, Burton (gk).

Referee: Darren Deadman (Northants).

Shrewsbury boss Micky Mellon made two changes from the side that beat Gainsborough 13 days ago as Town made their first trip to the DW Stadium.

Back came Jermaine Grandison and Kaikai, for Dom Smith and Jordan Clark.

Smith dropped to the bench while there was no place in the 18 for Clark, or Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro.

Grandison made his return to the starting line-up after missing the last six games due to loss of form then a back injury, while Kaikai returned after missing the last two matches with a knee injury.

Nat Knight-Percival didn't travel after picking up an injury in training and there was no place in the 18 for the second successive game for Matt Tootle.

Goalkeeper Callum Burton was back on the bench for the first time since Blackburn in the Capital One Cup on August 11 and, as Mellon predicted, striker James Collins retained the captaincy.

Anthony Gerrard made his first league start for Town after 90 minutes at Gainsborough in the Cup.

Wigan controlled the first half without creating the chances their territorial dominance merited.

They were dealt an early blow when former Wolves attacking midfielder Michael Jacobs limped off after just 14 minutes following lengthy treatment after a heavy challenge from Ian Black.

Ex-Walsall striker Will Grigg, signed from Brentford for £1m in the summer, replaced him.

Town thought they were on the move in the 28th minute when Larnell Cole dispossessed David Perkins but his pass found Collins offside.

A minute later, McCann was booked for diving over Gerrard's leg trying to win a free kick 20 yards out.

Goalmouth action was thin on the ground for the first half hour but things livened up in the last 15 minutes before the break.

Left back Reece James slid in unmarked for Grigg's right-wing cross on 31 but couldn't get to the ball.

Five minutes later, Wigan took the lead when Revell headed home Yanic Wildschut's cross after the latter beat Junior Brown too easily on the byeline.

Wildschut was continually getting room and giving Grandison plenty to think about and he got free again on 40 as his cross caused chaos in the Town box.

Grigg missed his kick from eight yards out but it fell to Tim Chow, who volleyed inches wide on the turn.

Virtually nothing had been seen of Shrewsbury as an attacking force but they had their first effort on goal in the 43rd minute.

Cole let fly and his 25-yard skidding drive was tipped wide by goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, diving to his left.

Town brought on Scott Vernon in the 51st minute for Brown as they switched to 4-4-2 with a diamond in midfield.

The game livened up again as Town, with Kaikai playing in a free role just behind the front two, had their best spell.

They had a penalty appeal waved aside when Sullay Kaikai appeared to be bundled over by Chris McCann.

The on-loan Crystal Palace winger flashed a 25-yard free kick inches wide, with Jaaskelainen rooted to the spot.

Liam Lawrence came on for Black on 58, as Town looked to fresh legs to bring them an equaliser.

Collins with a sidefoot volley from Grandison's cross forced Jussi Jaaskelainen into parrying to his left but the flag went up for offside.

Then Kaikai forced the veteran former Premier League keeper into tipping wide with an angled drive.

And from the resulting corner, Zak Whitbread had the ball whipped off his toe as he shaped to shoot with Power hacking it away.

In a final throw of the dice, Mellon threw on Tyrone Barnett for Collins in the 79th minute, while Jason Pearce went on for Tim Chow two minutes later.

The game opened up and Wigan pressed for a second goal as a shot from Craig Davies, who replaced Revell on 77, hit Jayson Leitwiler's knees then the keeper tipped over McCann's rising shot.

Then Leutwiler got the merest touch to help Power's blockbuster over the bar.

Just as the fourth official signalled five minutes of added time, Kaikai fired just wide from the edge of the box after wriggling into a shooting position.

But, ultimately, Town didn't have enough to force an equaliser.