Crewe 0 – 2 Wigan

Josh Magennis struck his first goal since signing for Wigan as the Latics kept up the pressure on League One leaders Rotherham with a hard-fought 2-0 win at lowly Crewe.

Magennis – recruited from Hull in January – headed home at the end of the first half and Will Keane followed suit with another aerial finish soon after the interval to break the bottom club’s resistance.

Wigan skipper Tendayi Darikwa tested Dave Richards with a fierce right-footed effort from 20 yards which the Crewe goalkeeper did well to turn away.

But Latics goalkeeper Ben Amos was also called into early action when tipping over a rising drive from Callum Ainley.

It was one of several moments of opportunity Crewe crafted out in the first half.

Rekeem Harper cleared the crossbar with a drive and leading scorer Chris Long found space for a powerful shot from 20 yards which Amos gathered at the second attempt.

Josh Lundstram was also inches away from applying a far-post finish before Wigan defender Joe Bennett’s intervention.

But the visitors showed a ruthless touch from the dead ball two minutes before the interval with Magennis breaking free of his marker to glance a header past Richards from Max Power’s free-kick.

Another precision delivery set up the second soon after the restart with Bennett’s hanging cross from the left headed into the top corner by Keane after 53 minutes to seal the points.