Wigan 1-2 Middlesbrough

Fourth round draw

Massimo Maccarone scored his first goal of the season and Gaizka Mendieta also opened his account for Middlesbrough as they reached the fourth round of the Carling Cup.

But Steve McClaren's side had to withstand a grandstand finish from Wigan after Jimmy Bullard's crashing free-kick reduced the deficit 15 minutes from time.

The home side had reached the quarter-finals of the same competition last season and could count themselves desperately unlucky not to have kept alive their chances of repeating the feat.

We didn't fold under pressure and we got the breaks at the right time and hung on at the end Boro boss Steve McClaren

They pressed right from the start, Lee McCulloch forcing Mark Schwarzer to save his header after eight minutes.

Schwarzer rescued Boro again on 25 minutes when he punched away a Peter Kennedy cross.

Wigan came even closer when Neil Roberts flicked a header inches wide of the right-hand post.

But the visitors snatched the lead when Danny Mills beat three defenders, cutting in from the right to hit a shot which appeared destined for the arms of former Boro keeper Gary Walsh until Maccarone's lucky touch.

They've got some quality players but we gave them a real scare Wigan boss Paul Jewell

Wigan should have been level at the break when McCulloch brilliantly turned inside Gareth Southgate and hit a low shot which Schwarzer saved well.

McCulloch came close again in the opening seconds of the second period with a dipping shot from 20 yards which clipped the top of the bar.

Boro's second goal also had a touch of fortune about it.

Juninho charged down an attempted clearance and beat the advancing Walsh 35 yards from goal before running wide and crossing for Mendieta to whack home the decider.

Bullard's free-kick set up a nervous finish, but Boro held firm.

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Wigan: Walsh, Eaden, Breckin, Jackson, Baines, Liddell (Teale 45), Bullard, Jarrett, Kennedy (Flynn 85), Roberts, McCulloch (Ellington 63).
Subs Not Used: Filan, Mitchell.

Booked: Jarrett.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Mills, Southgate, Riggott, Queudrue, Mendieta (Zenden 72), Boateng, Juninho Paulista, Greening, Ricketts (Doriva 57), Maccarone (Nemeth 87).
Subs Not Used: Nash, Davies.

Attendance: 8,046

Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).