Ellington had a hand in all three goals
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The Latics moved to fourth in Division One as they crushed Cardiff's slim play-off hopes at the JJB Stadium.
Jason Roberts got the first on 36 minutes, Alan Mahon's cross finding Nathan Ellington who drove into the box and squared it for an easy tap in.
Martyn Margetson saved from Jimmy Bullard on 54 minutes, but Ellington was on hand to turn the ball in.
Ellington then flicked a long clearance to Roberts who beat Danny Gabbidon and fired low past Margetson.
A tepid opening period pointed more towards the Second Division football these
teams were playing last season rather than the push for Premiership promotion.
Roberts had the ball in the Cardiff net on 25 minutes, but the linesman
restored the tension with an offside flag.
But with nine minutes of the opening period remaining Roberts was not to be denied.
Winger Alan Mahon swapped flanks from left to right and sent the ball to the
hard-working Ellington, who squared the ball for former West Brom man Roberts to finish from two yards.
The Bluebirds' only notable effort had come from a Richard Langley free-kick
which narrowly missed the head of captain Tony Vidmar.
They were on the back foot for the rest of the first half, with Ellington a
constant threat.
Cardiff manager Lennie Lawrence withdrew winger Paul Parry at the break, replacing him with striker
Andy Campbell.
It was Roberts who did the damage again in the second period, his shot being parried by Margetson but falling to Bullard.
The Bluebirds keeper kept out Bullard's strike, but could do nothing to foil the waiting Ellington, who duly notched his 18th
goal of the season.
Just four minutes later the Ellington-Roberts combination struck again, the latter leaving City defender Gabbidon sprawling in
his wake before firing home from the edge of the area.
City's 31-goal striker Robert Earnshaw watched on jealously, and when his
chance finally came with three minutes left, he screwed his effort wide when
clean through on Filan.
Langley had another free-kick on target, while Filan palmed away an Alan Lee
effort destined for the top corner.
But it was Wigan's night and on this
evidence the Roberts and Ellington combination would deserve a crack at the
Premiership next season.
Wigan: Filan, Eaden, Breckin, De Vos, Baines, Liddell, Jarrett, Bullard, Mahon, Jason Roberts, Ellington. Subs: Walsh, Mitchell,
McCulloch, Farrelly, Teale.
Cardiff: Margetson, Croft, Collins, Gabbidon, Vidmar, Robinson, Langley, Whalley, Parry, Lee, Earnshaw. Subs: Alexander, Barker,
Campbell, Bullock, Gordon.
Referee: A Penn (W Midlands).
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