Sky Bet Championship
Wigan Athletic 0 Leeds United 2 (Bamford 34, 65)
A goal in either half from Patrick Bamford secured Leeds United all three points against 10 man Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium.
Leeds had the first chance of the game inside two minutes from a free kick on the left flank. Kalvin Phillips delivered a ball which went right through the Wigan box and just a whisker wide of the far post.
Bamford fired wide from a narrow angle after being played into the box by Adam Forshaw before Barry Douglas narrowly missed the target with a free kick from 30 yards.
Wigan’s first sight on goal came in the 18th minute when Lee Evans fired a free kick, which Kiko Casilla did well to tip over the crossbar and from the resulting corner, Gavin Massey was just inches away from getting end of the cross at the back post.
Wigan were reduced to 10 men in the 21st minute, Joe Williams, who had earlier been booked for a foul on Stuart Dallas, received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Bamford.
Nine minutes later, Bamford couldn’t make the desired contact with a Mateusz Klich cross, before the ball fell to Hernandez, he weaved his way through the Wigan box, but could only find the side netting with his finish.
Leeds made the breakthrough soon after. Klich’s cross found Adam Forshaw and he saw his header hit the post, but there was no stopping Bamford who was in the right place at the right time to slot home the rebound.
The Whites had the chance to add a second before the break when Bamford teed up Hernandez on the edge of the box, but he couldn’t get enough on his strike to beat David Marshall.
Half time: Wigan Athletic 0-1 Leeds United
After the break Kieffer Moore saw a penalty appeal turned down following a Wigan free kick, whilst Ben White met a Douglas set piece, but could only head over.
Leeds continued to push for a killer second goal, Forshaw saw another header denied by Marshall following a Douglas cross, before Douglas struck off target following a nice one-two with Jack Harrison.
The Whites got it in the 65th minute. The Whites were controversially awarded a corner after a Hernandez cross struck the arm of Anotonee Robinson, but made it count, with Bamford bundling home from close range.
Forshaw pulled a strike just wide after being teed up by Harrison, before the latter headed off target at a corner.
Hernandez almost added a third with a free kick from 20 yards, but a super save from Marshall prevented Leeds from going further ahead.
Some lovely build up from Leeds led to a chance for Hernandez, but once again he couldn’t get the better of Marshall.
Casilla made another fine stop to deny an Evans free kick, whilst Harrison saw a strike superbly saved late on, as the Whites came away with all three points.
Full time: Wigan Athletic 0-2 Leeds United
Wigan: Marshall, Byrne, Robinson, Morsy, Fox, Evans, Massey (Enobakhare 65), Jacobs (Lowe 65), Moore (Naismith 83), Williams, Dunkley. Subs: Jones, Macleod, Kipre, Lang.
Leeds: Casilla, Douglas, White, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Forshaw (Shackleton 90), Klich (Costa 76), Harrison, Hernandez, Bamford. Subs: Meslier, Alioski, Nketiah, Berardi, Bogusz.
Booked: Williams, Evans, Fox, Morsy
Forshaw, White (Leeds)
Sent off: Williams (Wigan)
Referee: A. Madley
Venue: DW Stadium
Attendance: 14,819