THIS was never as bad as the scoreline would suggest.The Blues suffered for all those missed chances in the first half.

Derek Davis

Ipswich Town 1 Wigan Athletic 4

THIS was never as bad as the scoreline would suggest.

The Blues suffered for all those missed chances in the first half. A combination of bad luck, terrific Wigan defending and they should have done better shooting.

An enthralling match with end to end action with Ipswich getting the better of the first half, but their old Achilles heel let them down once again as the Premier League side exploited the Championship club's defending.

The defence might have got away with their sloppiness if the goals had gone in, but in pursing the glorious they allowed victory to go to a well-drilled Wigan side.

As expected Magilton again shuffled his pack and made five changes from the goalless draw at Sheffield Wednesday

Richard Naylor, and David Wright were rested completely, while Jon Stead was cup-tied after playing for Sheffield United in an earlier round and how they missed him against Arsenal's young Gunners.

Kevin Lisbie was returned to the starting line-up and went up front with Jon Walters.

Although not considered from this cup-tie the Town attack will be further boosted after Pablo Counago was given all-clear from a London specialist and is even in with a chance of playing against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Wigan boss Steve Bruce showed how seriously he was taking the contest by sticking with many of his big guns, including Egyptian striker Amr Zaki who had been nursing a calf injury and England striker Emile Heskey partnering him up front.

Ipswich-born Titus Bramble was made captain for the occasion and was given a good reception from crowd when his name was read out before the game.

Town's first real chance came after just five minutes and started with some calm play from Bruce back to Richard Wright whose long ball to Walters was touched inside for Norris and his 25-yard shot was pushed wide by Kirkland.

Walters caused problems when he drifted wide right and a cross from him was met well by Alan Quinn but went over the bar.

Lisbie and Walters combined again, only this time Walters saw his chip over Kirkland also clear the crossbar.

Norris found Tommy Miller who went past a defender before curling in a shot that got the slightest deflection from Bramble that was enough to win a corner.

Quinn's flag-kick caused mayhem with Lee Cattermole heading off the line from Bruce and then Bramble doing the same thing from Campo as the ball was played back in again.

Miller was inches away again when Norris slipped a little ball in for him and his determination to get into the box stretched the Latics.

Wigan survived the first half onslaught and might even have gone in one-up when an Amr Zaki free kick came back off the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.

Heskey was thwarted by his old England colleague Wright after ten minutes when he pushed away an awkward half volley from the Wigan number that that bounced up fiercely.

Wright made an even better save from Heskey when he got down low to a powerful drive and Town survived the resulting corner.

Their goal came six minutes after the break when Wright could not hold a wicked 30-yard free kick from Wilson Palcios and Cattermole, just back from a suspension, netted his first goal for Wigan.

The lead lasted ten minutes before Walters equalised from five yards. Miller had made a strong run into the area, but the ball was cleared only as far as Quinn who delivered the prefect waist-high cross.

But Town's defence switched off again and Heskey headed across the area, Zaki failed to connect but the rolled kindly to an unmarked Olivier Kapo and he had an easy finish.

Wigan's third came from poor defending at a corner as Zaki headed down an Antonio Valencia corner and Paul Scharner turned it in from close range.

The lopsided scoreline was completed in the final minute of time added on when Daniel de Ridder's corner was mis-hit by Bramble and bounced up for Henri Camara to flick on over Wright's head.