But disaster struck for the Hammers hitman with 20 minutes remaining when he hobbled away with an injury that could see him miss out on an international call-up - albeit early indications are that it may just have been a bout of opening day cramp.
Ashton's departure summed up a second half of frustration for injury-hit Alan Curbishley, who also saw his side's opening period domination evaporate in the East End air, as Amr Zaki pulled one back for Wigan just after the restart and Hammers held on for their lives.
Despite kicking-off with an all too familiar injury list, it had also started so well for the West Ham United manager, who gave impressive summer signing Valon Behrami his debut.
Indeed, West Ham flew out of the starting stalls and looked all but home and hosed within ten minutes as they raced into a two-goal lead.
On just three minutes, Julien Faubert picked out Ashton, who cleverly spun the leaden-footed Paul Scharner before letting fly with a rising 15-yarder that scorched beyond the despairing leap of Chris Kirkland to kick-off his season in style.
And just seven minutes later, the unmarked, bleached-blond striker left the joyous East Enders roaring when he nudged the ball over the line from three yards after Mark Noble diverted Carlton Cole's lay-off towards the far post.
Certainly, it was all West Ham United as wobbling Wigan desperately tried to steady the ship.
Indeed, the tireless Cole forced Kirkland to tip over his awkward back-header and, after then nodding off his own goalline, he prodded his close-range shot straight to Kirkland after Behrani bombed into the box.
Only their luminous yellow shirts had prevented the lethargic Latics from looking completely anonymous in the first half, but it was a completely different story after the break as Wigan fought back with a vengeance.
Steve Bruce had given debuts to summer signings Lee Cattermole and Olivier Kapo, however, within just two minutes of the second period, it was another new boy who gave the Latics a lifeline when Maynor Figueroa's long-throw was flicked on by Wilson Palacios for Zaki to volley home from ten yards.
Seconds later, the Egyptian goal-getter could even have snatched a second too, but he was hauled down by the consequently cautioned Calum Davenport as he raced towards the penalty area.
Although Faubert drilled a 20-yarder into Kirkland's ribs in reply, Wigan had now found width and they went onto dominate a frantic finale that somehow saw West Ham - now minus Ashton and Scott Parker (thigh) - hold onto all three points despite the best efforts of Palacios, Zaki, Antonio Valencia and Kapo.
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