Report by Dave Seddon - Wigan Evening Post

STUART Barlow knows what his dream tie is for the second round of the Worthington Cup...Everton!

His two goals at the JJB Stadium last night saw off the challenge of York City, and now he would love a crack at his old club.

"Everton would be a fantastic draw for us and I'd love to score a last minute winner against them," said Barlow later.

He'll have to wait until Saturday afternoon to learn who is pulled out of the hat with Latics, but until then he can look back on a good evening's work against the Minstermen.

Barlow shone in a low-key affair which at times almost resembled a pre-season friendly.

He slammed home the penalty which gave Latics the lead and then tucked away a second goal to put the result beyond doubt and book them their place in the next round.

That's five goals in as many games now for the striker, not bad for a player who wasn't sure of his place in thestarting line-up until three days before the start of the season!

His partnership up front with Andy Liddell and Simon Haworth is blssoming by the game, and the trio's form over the coming months could prove the key to a successful season.

Latics' line up last night showed one change from the side which beat Bristol City on Saturday, with Derek Stillie replacing the injured Roy Carroll between the sticks.

Carroll, who signed a new five-year contract on the morning of the game, failed to recover from a knock to the ankle and sat out the action as a precaution ahead of the weekend derby clash at Preston.

Stillie had little to do throughout the evening, with York failing to reproduce the form which they showed in the first leg a fortnight earlier.

They did manage an 89th minute consolation goal, but it was purley academic by then.

The opening exchanges saw Stuart Balmer block a shot from John Williams after Stillie had mishit a clearance straight to the big striker, while a cross from Ian Kilford was headed wide by Haworth at the other end.

But the tie was effectively over as a contest in the 21st minute when Wigan went ahead, adding to their one-goal first leg lead.

Michael O'Neill planted a cross from the left wing into the box which rookie keeper Russell Howarth dropped as he jumped to collect.

The ball fell to Liddell and his attempted chip back into the danger zone hit the hand of Wayne Hall.

It looked ball to hand rather than hand to ball, but referee Michael Jones had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and BARLOW stepped up to hammer the penalty into the top corner.

Liddell almost doubled the lead after 33 minutes, chipping a shot onto the top of the net from the edge of the box after collecting Barlow's through ball.

Five minutes before the break, Liddell chased a pass down the right wing to the bye-line and crossed into the middle, only for Howarth's close range header to be tipped over the bar by the keeper.

Liddell twice came close in the early stages of the second half, twisting in midair to meet Barlow's cross with a glancing header which dropped just wide, and then just failing to get on the end of a centre from his fellow striker.

York should have levelled in the 63rd minute when Williams volleyed Barry Conlon's cross straight at Stillie from close range.

Latics responded with Barlow firing in a shot from the edge of the box which Howarth dived to push around the post, while Haworth's shot froman acute angle whistled across the face of the goal.

But they stretched their lead after 68 minutes when BARLOW won possession 25 yards out and weaved into the penalty area before tucking a mishit shot through the legs of Howarth.

"It was a bit of a pee-roller but they all count don't they," he remarked afterwards.

York reduced the arrears with a minute remaining when a shot from Conlon was blocked by a defender and fell into the path of substitute Rodney ROWE.

He had time to bring the ball under control and slam a shot across Stillie into the far corner from 12 yards.