New boys lay down the Law

WINNING GOAL . . . Josh Law slides the ball under Jussi Jaaskelainen

TWO sparkling goals ended years of misery for Athletic in the EFL Cup, with a zestful effort putting paid to last year's runaway League One champions.

Ryan Flynn's teasing dribble and clever finish put the hosts ahead early in the first half.

And though Will Grigg levelled the game - it was another that originated from a corner kick - the man who inspired millions into song in recent months was overshadowed as the original 'Latics' caught fire seven minutes from full-time.

Josh Law exchanged passes with Lee Croft before he teased a pass in to Flynn's feet and as the visitors' defence stood, the timing of the pass back to the onrushing Law was perfect.

Having broken the offside trap, the ex-Motherwell player took his time and simply rolled the ball under Jussi Jaaskelainen for a match-winner.

Gary Caldwell's Championship side, who lost their league opener at Bristol City in the later stages, could justifiably point to the fact they played half of this contest with 10 men as mitigation for what has to go down as a 'shock' result.

Wigan had been reduced in number just before half-time as Jake Buxton saw red for a high tackle on Marc Klok - who himself had earlier received a yellow card for a late tackle Wigan felt was itself reckless.

But even though Connor Ripley was the busier of the goalkeepers in the first 45 minutes, even then his work was mainly to repel shots from distance.

This was a game that flitted from end to end and Athletic were competing fully when it was 11-versus-11.

A man up, they turned up the heat and eventually got their reward.

Athletic boss Stephen Robinson made three changes to his team that had lost 3-0 at Millwall.

In came Kallum Mantack for his debut on the right flank in place of the ineligible Billy Mckay. Josh Law replaced the injured Jamie Reckord and Ollie Banks sat it out with Klok in from the off.

Wigan defender Donervan Daniels had the first chance of the game but got the angle of his header all wrong when connecting with an enticing free-kick delivery from the left by Michael Jacobs.

It was a let-off for Athletic, who had conceded twice from set plays at Millwall.

The opening goal came out of very little and had a healthy dash of individual class about it.

Flynn, who has made his name by performing to stellar levels in cup competitions before with Sheffield United, benefited from some strong work by Paul Green in robbing Daniels of possession on the left flank.

Lovely neat footwork saw Flynn cut inside and towards the penalty area, out of range of defenders scared to trip him. On and on he went and as the opportunity opened itself up, the timing and placement of a low, right-footed effort from 15 yards out was perfect to evade the dive to his left of the veteran Jaaskelainen.

Wigan responded strongly. Jordan Flores sent in a fierce drive that Ripley parried and Clarke had to stretch every sinew to slide behind when it appeared that Flores had been sent in on goal from down the left channel.

The equaliser came on 34 minutes and it was another poor one from Robinson's point of view.

A corner kick to the far post missed out a group of players clustered in the middle and when Max Power swung it back in, Buxton nodded across to where Grigg was standing. With nobody in his eye-line, the Northern Ireland international smashed home an unstoppable volley.

The fun and games came at the end of an entertaining opening 45 minutes. Klok had earlier picked up a yellow card for a crude tackle on Stephen Warnock and it seemed that he became a marked man.

The Dutch enforcer was only just recovering from a nudge in his back when Buxton came flying in with a reckless high tackle that saw the Wigan defender given his marching orders by referee Geoff Eltringham shortly before the half-time whistle.

Croft came on for Mantack, who had a quiet first half in senior football, at the break.

Ripley did well four minutes in to the second half to put off Colclough as he raced onto the end of a clever flick by Jacobs.

Flynn was not far off a second when he turned sweetly in the area and fired a foot over the top with his left foot and Lee Erwin made room for a shot that was held by Jaaskelainen soon after as the home side applied the pressure against their depleted namesakes.

Tim Chow narrowly missed connecting with a Jacobs centre but the home side continued to attack and Erwin should have done better when presented with a free header from a Green cross eight yards out than direct it towards Jaaskelainen.

Wigan appealed for a penalty when Burgess collided with Grigg in the 64th minute ­­- Eltringham was unmoved ­- and Peter Clarke spurned a wonderful chance when racing on to a Banks corner in the 66th minute. His header on the run flashed wide, much to the skipper's annoyance.

Jacobs sliced off-target after enterprising work from Colclough as an entertaining game went from one end to the other, while the ever-sharp Flynn forced a parry from the Wigan 'keeper with a powerful left-footed drive from a narrow angle.

Athletic got their reward with Law's well-worked goal. There was one fraught goalmouth scramble soon after it, but they deserved to make it through round one for the first time in eight attempts.