Sky Bet Championship: Bournemouth cement first place with a 3-1 win at Wigan

Two goals from Callum Wilson and another from Yann Kermorgant saw Bournemouth cement their position at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 3-1 victory at struggling Wigan.

However, the scoreline only told part of the story as Wigan enjoyed solid spells in both halves but failed to make the most of them.

After James McClean had hit the bar with a free-kick, Wilson opened the scoring nine minutes before half-time - with more than a hint of offside about it.

However, there was no argument three minutes later when Kermorgant doubled the lead following a bad mistake by Chris McCann.

It looked game over just before the hour mark when Wilson made it three with a cool finish, although Leon Clarke marked his Wigan debut with a goal shortly after which at least made for an entertaining last half-hour.

Despite their lowly league position, it was Wigan who took the game to their visitors right from the off.

William Kvist saw an early daisy-cutter well held by Artur Boruc, while Clarke's clever cross from the left deserved better than no-one gambling to get on the end of it.

Wigan came closer still moments later when McClean swung in a free-kick from the left that beat Boruc all ends up, only to bounce off the crossbar and away to safety.

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But Bournemouth seemed to take heart from the let-off and started to grow into the game.

A great counter-attack down the left saw Matt Ritchie's shot deflect wide off Andrew Taylor and only a great block by Kvist prevented Simon Charlton's effort testing Ali Al Habsi.

The Wigan goalkeeper was required to pull off a fine save to deny Kermorgant from close range, before Matt Ritchie blasted over from the edge of the area.

Wigan threatened again when Kim Bo-Kyung's overhead kick flew just over the bar, but the hosts were rocked just before the break when Bournemouth gained a stranglehold on the game.

First Wilson raced on to a flick-on by Kermorgant and, despite looking offside, slid the ball under Al Habsi.

Then McCann was caught in possession on the edge of his own box and Kermorgant punished him by drilling the ball into the bottom corner.

Wilson should have made it three 10 minutes after the restart, only to shoot over with only Al Habsi to beat, but the striker made amends a minute later by notching his second goal, rounding the goalkeeper before slotting into an empty net.

Wigan pulled one back within two minutes as Clarke nodded home McClean's inviting cross, and the introduction from the bench of Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo saw Wigan ask some probing questions of the Cherries defence.

Liam Ridgewell saw a header tipped over by Boruc, while substitute Billy McKay felt his late shot strike the hand of a defender, only for the official to rule no penalty and end any hopes of a Latics comeback.