Wigan returned to winning ways in League One with a comfortable 2-0 home victory over Bristol Rovers.

Shaun Maloney’s men were off to a flyer as James Carragher headed them into a sixth-minute lead after he was found by Joseph Hungbo’s pinpoint free-kick from the right.

Dale Taylor fired just wide from 25 yards before slack play at the back gave Rovers their first sight of goal, only for Gatlin O’Donkor to fire straight at Sam Tickle.

The precarious nature of the one-goal lead was shown again when Lino Sousa’s cross found O’Donkor and Wigan were indebted to Tickle for making a stunning save at point-blank range.

Wigan nerves were eased 20 minutes from time when some catastrophic defending from Rovers allowed Taylor to tee up substitute Jonny Smith.

It should have been 3-0 moments later, only for Thelo Aasgaard to smash a shot against the bar from 12 yards.