WAT A CRACKING START

BEN WATSON’S strike set Wigan on their way as the Latics got their promotion bid off to a flyer at Oakwell. Midfielder Watson ( left) crashed in from 25 yards for his first goal since scoring the winner in the FA Cup final.

New hitman Grant Holt scored his first for the club before Leon Barnett and Shaun Maloney completed a romp.

Dale Jennings joined Barnsley from Bayern Munich in the summer, but his debut lasted just five minutes before the substitute saw red for a two- footed lunge at James McArthur.

Wigan took charge from the start, with Maloney passing up a cracking early chance from Jean Beausejour’s cross.

Stephen Dawson rifled over for Barnsley but Owen Coyle’s side pulled ahead on 38 minutes when Watson found the corner of the net from well outside the box.

Wigan just had too much for David Flitcroft’s side after the interval, with Beausejour firing into the side- netting from Maloney’s deep cross.

Another slick passing move saw Scott Golbourne clear off the line from McArthur.

Just before the hour, a Beausejour corner was flicked on by Watson and Holt diverted Emmerson Boyce’s shot in from a couple of yards.

After Jennings saw red, Barnett bundled in from a couple of yards from Maloney’s corner.

And Maloney turned in Marc- Antoine Fortune’s cross to finish Barnsley off.