Debut delight for Josh Maja as Stoke City advance to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup and shatter Wigan Athletic’s 20-game unbeaten run

Stoke City advanced to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2015 after a 2-0 triumph over high-flying Wigan Athletic as Josh Maja scored on his Potters debut and Jacob Brown netted just moments after coming on.

Stoke started the game on the front foot as they took the lead after 15 minutes. Ex-Wigan player Nick Powell dinked a sumptuous ball to the feet of Tyrese Campbell, who ran the visitors’ defence ragged for the 75 minutes he was on the pitch, before squaring it to Maja who had the simple task of beating Jamie Jones from 12 yards.

In the second half, Michael O’Neill called for the services of Brown, Steven Fletcher and Emre Tezgel to extend their advantage, and just over a minute after coming on, Brown’s shot from just inside the box nestled into the far corner, earning the Potters a place in the hat for Round Five.

Stoke will find out their opponents in the next round of the cup tomorrow morning as the Fifth Round draw will be made ahead of Liverpool’s tie against Cardiff City, with the Potters taking ball number 13.

After the game, Stoke boss Michael O’Neill hailed Brown to Prost International for everything he brings to his side.

“He’s been a vital player this season. Out of all our attacking players, Jacob [Brown] has played the most minutes this season and he is obviously our top scorer as well.

“He contributes an awful lot and what he brings to the side is a real team player, the team always comes ahead of himself.

“When you look at his physical data, it’s usually the highest in every game, you know for example his high-speed running.

“But sometimes he hasn’t got the rewards he has deserved for the work that he’s put in so I’m pleased that he’s come off the bench and scored because it gives you confidence that even if you are not starting the game you can come on and effect it.”

Wigan went down to 10 men in the second period after Gwion Edwards was dismissed by referee Geoff Eltringham for a second bookable offence, this time a rash challenge on Brown, with just over a quarter of an hour to go.

Both sides made numerous changes ahead of the tie which included Potters debuts for Maja and Liam Moore as Latics boss Leam Richardson handed Glen Rea and Jamie McGrath their first appearances.

Ex-Stoke winger James McClean missed out as he is struggling with a foot injury which Richardson revealed to the press after the game.

Powell made his first start since October 19th, after being sidelined with a fractured fibula, and played his part in getting Stoke ticking from midfield to attack, something the Potters have desperately missed in his absence.

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Moore also collected a clean sheet in his first appearance in red and white. The defender, who signed on loan from Reading on Deadline Day, was commanding and dominant in the air alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis who came close to scoring by sneaking in at the back post on several occasions.

Fletcher will be frustrated not to have added more goals to his side’s tally as he squandered numerous shots in the latter stages of the contest. The Championship veteran had shots blocked, saved and miscued a handful of off-target efforts.

Josh Magennis had Wigan’s most clear-cut attempt in the first half, however, he tried a cheeky shot to catch out Joe Bursik, who also returned from injury, but the Northern Irishman’s shot trickled wide.

The visitors had chances through two chaotic goalmouth scrambles, but no Wigan player could poke the ball past the England under-21 shot-stopper.

The Latics also hit the woodwork in the second half after Joe Bennett swung a venomous free-kick into the danger zone and would have beaten everyone had it been a handful of inches lower.

Wigan Athletic manager Leam Richardson thought his side ‘were competitive’ in large parts of the game but inevitably fell short.

“I thought in large parts of the game we were competitive.

“You can see the calibre of players that Stoke have got, they gave it everything today and put all their forward-thinking players on the pitch.”

The Wigan boss also gave his thoughts on Edwards’ red card.

“I haven’t seen it [the challenge]back.

“Gwion [Edwards] is an experienced player and he’d be as disappointed as anybody with it.

“It looked like a tired recovery run but the first booking was avoidable.”

Both sides now shift attention back to league action. For Stoke, they look ahead to Tuesday’s crucial Championship clash at home to Swansea City as Wigan prepare for Tuesday’s away trip to Sheffield Wednesday.

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