Goals from Lee McCulloch and Jason Roberts gave Wigan the points as they won 2-0 to record their first ever league victory on Millwall turf.

The Latics went into the game with a less than impressive record against the Lions, with only four wins from 20 meetings between the two sides.

But tonight they firmly banished that hoodoo as McCulloch and Roberts fired home in the second half to cap an impressive display.

Paul Ifill was absent for Millwall after suffering a calf strain on the opening day of the season.

The Latics were boosted by the inclusion of Nathan Ellington who was fit despite going off in the draw with Nottingham Forest.

He was immediately involved in the action with a powerful run after two minutes which almost put him through on goal.

But it was team-mate Gary Teale who went closest in the opening minutes when he found space between two defenders in the area before David Livermore made a vital saving tackle.

As the game gathered pace, Millwall responded four minutes later when former Leeds midfielder Jody Morris unleashed a swerving snap-shot which just flew wide of the post.

Just short of the quarter hour the same player hit another long-range effort which had goalkeeper John Filan scrambling to parry the ball away.

The Lions were having the better of the play without seriously threatening the visiting goal.

But they were given a double scare midway through the half when first a deep corner from Jimmy Bullard saw Ellington head over at the back post before the lively forward drilled a shot straight at Graham Stack.

As the interval approached, Wigan began to up the pace and almost broke the deadlock when Roberts cut in from the left and struck a right-footed effort at goal.

But it was Millwall's Danny Dichio who came closest just before the interval when he was teed up by Stefan Moore only to be denied by a superb challenge from Per Frandsen.

The second half began at a lightning quick pace with Ellington drilling left-footed just past the post.

And within six minutes of the restart Latics were ahead when David Wright burst down the flank and arced in a pin-point cross for McCulloch to head home.

Stunned into action, Millwall responded in positive fashion with player-boss Dennis Wise bringing himself on as part of a triple substitution.

And that prompted an onslaught on the visitors goal as Morris raced through on goal before being clattered by a brave stop from Filan then a few minutes later Dichio wasted a gilt-edged chance when he mis-directed a powerful downward header.

As the home crowd found their voice, the Lions continued to press and after 70 minutes the visitors were thankful for another last-ditch challenge, this time from Ian Breckin, that halted Dichio's charge on goal.

But with 15 minutes left Wigan broke away to put the game beyond doubt as McCulloch curled the ball in for Roberts and, after killing the ball dead and shifting it from under his feet, the striker blasted home.