Cambridge United stunned Wigan Athletic to end the League One leaders’ nine-game unbeaten league run and keep the battle for automatic promotion open.
Harvey Knibbs calmly rolled the ball in for the U’s, before Sam Smith sent a header into the roof of the net.
Tom Naylor pulled a goal back from a Latics corner, but Cambridge held on for a first win at Wigan since 1991.
The Latics top the table by four points with four games to go, with their opponents moving up two places to 12th.
Mark Bonner’s mid-table side dominated early on, with Lloyd Jones heading into the side netting from a corner, before Joe Ironside’s header across goal caused panic in the penalty area.
Cambridge eventually found the breakthrough when top scorer Ironside was unselfish in laying off Knibbs, who took the ball down, ignored the presence of battling defenders and slotted into the net.
Adam May’s shot from distance was smartly kept out by Wigan goalkeeper Ben Amos, but the warning signs were ignored as Smith raced into the penalty area to head in James Brophy’s dinked cross.
Just as in the first half, the hosts struggled to create clear chances after the break until Naylor gave his side a lift by powering in a header.
With the game stretched in a frantic final few minutes, Cambridge defender George Williams missed the opportunity to seal the three points when getting his head to a cross at the near post.
That nearly cost his team as Wigan substitute Tom Pearce sliced an effort over the bar, before Will Keane was expertly denied by a close-range save from keeper Dimitar Mitov in added time, with the Bulgarian pushing away the rebound just as Josh Magennis closed in.
Line-ups
Wigan
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 12Amos
- 8PowerBooked at 29mins
- 5Whatmough
- 2Watts
- 27DarikwaSubstituted forHumphrysat 72′minutes
- 4Naylor
- 18ShinnieSubstituted forKerrat 45′minutes
- 19LangBooked at 26mins
- 10Keane
- 7EdwardsSubstituted forPearceat 45′minutes
- 28Magennis
Substitutes
- 1Jones
- 3Pearce
- 6Cousins
- 11Massey
- 15Kerr
- 30Aasgaard
- 39Humphrys
Cambridge
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1MitovBooked at 90mins
- 2WilliamsBooked at 57mins
- 15Okedina
- 6Jones
- 3Iredale
- 19May
- 4DigbyBooked at 90mins
- 10SmithSubstituted forTraceyat 81′minutes
- 26KnibbsSubstituted forO’Neilat 67′minutes
- 7Brophy
- 9Ironside
Substitutes
- 8O’Neil
- 18Tracey
- 23Lankester
- 25Mannion
- 27Worman
- 28Bennett
- 33Yearn
- Referee:
- Ross Joyce
- Attendance:
- 10,576
Live Text
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Match ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Cambridge United 2.
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Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Cambridge United 2.
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Dimitar Mitov (Cambridge United) is shown the yellow card.
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Attempt missed. Kelland Watts (Wigan Athletic) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Tom Pearce with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Dimitar Mitov.
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Attempt saved. Will Keane (Wigan Athletic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Max Power with a cross.
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Attempt saved. Joe Ironside (Cambridge United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Adam May.
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Paul Digby (Cambridge United) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Callum Lang (Wigan Athletic).
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Jack Iredale (Cambridge United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jack Whatmough (Wigan Athletic).
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Joe Ironside (Cambridge United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. Tom Pearce (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high.
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Attempt missed. Jason Kerr (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Callum Lang.
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Attempt missed. Liam O’Neil (Cambridge United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high following a corner.
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Attempt saved. George Williams (Cambridge United) header from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Adam May with a cross.
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Corner, Cambridge United. Conceded by Jack Whatmough.
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Tom Naylor (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Joe Ironside (Cambridge United).
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Substitution, Cambridge United. Shilow Tracey replaces Sam Smith because of an injury.

