Report by John Patrick Heeley

Wigan eased through to the second round of the FA Cup by disposing of Dr. Martens Premier Division side Dorchester Town but it wasn't as easy a job as some might have predicted.

Dorchester's last venture into the First Round Proper ended in a 9-1 defeat at the hands of Oxford United.

Wigan manager Bruce Rioch threw out an experimental line up with the three signings he has made since taking over the reins at the JJB all starting the game.

Dino Hernandez, Gino Padula and Stefan Bidstrup all made their full debuts and added a little bit of continental flair to the proceedings.

There was no place in the squad for Simon Haworth who has recovered from injury and Pat McGibbon, Kevin Sharp and little Brian McLaughlin were all demoted to the bench with striker Lee Ashcroft and loan keeper Alex O'Reilly.

Wigan's lowest ever crowd at the JJB Stadium of 3,883 witnessed a gutsy performance from a Dorchester side that are currently struggling at the foot of the Dr. Martens Premier.

In fact it was Dorchester who took a shock lead in the 6th minute when former Blackburn and West Ham player MATTY HOLMES, nephew of Bruce Rioch, curled in a free kick from the right which sailed past the Wigan defence and into the bottom corner of the goal.

Dorchester's moment of glory was short lived, however, as Wigan immediately hit back.

Wigan won a corner which Hernandez curled in to the near post with NEIL ROBERTS waiting to nod in his 4th goal of the season.

Wigan then, as expected, dominated the game but squandered numerous chances to take the lead and Dorchester keeper Mark Ormerod was in fine form keeping Latics at bay.

But in the 36th minute the Dorset side's defence was breached and Wigan took the lead. STEFAN BIDSTRUP, playing in only his second game latched onto a cross from the right and fired into the back of the net with a neat half volley from 6 yards out.

HALF TIME: Wigan 2 Dorchester 1

Dorchester continued in the second half much the same as they had finished the first.

They didn't really create many goalscoring opportunities, finding it difficult to break down a rock solid Wigan defence, but frustrated Latics on numerous occassions as the home side tried to finish off the plucky part-timers.

Wigan attacked well but were just not clinical enough to put the game out of Dorchester's reach and it took an own goal by defender Jason McIver in the 80th minute to finally finish off The Magpies.

Man-of-the-match Stefan Bidstrup sent substitute Lee Ashcroft racing clear down the left flank, he sent a teasing, low ball into the heart of Dorchester's penalty area with Liddell waiting at the far side.

McIVER threw himself at the ball in a vain attempt to clear but instead sent it into the back of the net leaving Ormerod no chance.

The Dorchester players recieved a standing ovation from both sets of fans, which was wholly deserved, and left the field with their heads held high.

Wigan now face the winners of Gravesend & Northfleet and Notts County, their match falling foul of the weather, postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.