...but find their shooting boots to sink Wigan

CHECKATRADE TROPHY

block from Wigan defender Terrell Thomas.

There was nothing the Wigan defence could do moments later though as Sousa was on hand to get his second goal of the evening.

He was given the ball and raced forward, before his powerful lot shot went past goalkeeper Theo Roberts to make it 3-0.

Tempers then flared during the closing moments when young Wigan midfielder Will McGuffie put in a reckless challenge against Stanley captain Scott Brown, but the referee controversially only decided to give the offender a yellow card.

Stanley ensured that a low point wouldn’t be the last significant moment of the game though, as they wrapped things up by scoring their fourth and final goal in the 89th minute.

McLeod smashed in a half-volley to make it 4-0, earning Accrington a dominant win against their League One counterparts.

Stanley end the group stage portion of the competition with two wins and a loss, with the side also picking up a 3-2 win over Middlesbrough U21s in September, though they did suffer a 2-1 home defeat to Blackpool last month.

Some of the other teams that have also booked their place in the knockout stages of the Checkatrade Trophy include Fleetwood Town, Rochdale, Oldham Athletic, Walsall, Bradford City, Doncaster Rovers and West Ham United U21s.

Colemen’s men will now hope that they can carry their momentum into league action this weekend when they make the trip to the Abbey Stadium to take on Cambridge United, who currently sit 10th in the League Two table.