Reserves: Blackburn 4 latics 0

Reserve coach David Lowe fielded a young team that was void of any first team experience against a Blackburn side in buoyant mood.

Rovers dominated the game and within 8 minutes they had opened the scoring. Joe Garner flicked the ball to Raffaele De Vita who rounded Dean Saunders in the Wigan net before tapping in for the lead.

Wigan defended valiantly and did well to stay in the game at half time after good efforts from Rovers' De Vita and Garner.

Rovers' increased the lead 53 minutes in. A Blackburn corner found Craig Barr at the back post who headed down to De Vita who claimed his second of the evening.

Wigan pushed hard to get back into the game but Rover's were too powerful and they made it three after 75 minutes. Barr was on hand to crash a diving header past Saunders from another Blackburn corner.

Two minutes later De Vita completed his hat-trick. Sub Jamie Clarke showed good trickery on the wing before crossing to the back post for De Vita to head home and complete a comfortable victory for Glyn Hodges side.

Teams:

Blackburn: Enckelman, Taylor, Jones, Barr, Olsson, Watt (sub Griffiths 76), Stopforth, Harkins, Woods (Nolan 46), Garner (Clarke 76), De Vita.

Unused subs: Fielding, Hodge.

Wigan: Saunders, McArdle, Blaney, Heywood, Field, Montrose, Owens, Stephan, Hazeldine, McCaughtrie (Hampson 76), Waterhouse.

Unused subs: Maloney, Croll, Prince, King.

Goals:

Blackburn: De Vita 8, 53, 77, Bar 75

Attendance: 232