FED-UP Latics fans staged another pitch invasion in protest against the club’s ownership as Oldham were unceremoniously dumped out of the Papa John’s Trophy by rampant Wigan.

The high-flying League One outfit made a statement of intent by fielding a strong side, with Latics opting for a mixture of youth and experience.

But having finished in the top two of their group to beat holders Sunderland in the first knockout round, they reached the end of the road in the first game at Boundary Park of 2022.

Wigan scored three in each half to make their path to the last eight a comfortable one. In truth they could have had double figures.

Latics were not at full strength, without captain Carl Piergianni, while top scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn started on the bench. Academy product Trey Turner was handed his debut and this competition is certainly not their priority. But it is a concern what such a heavy defeat does for confidence ahead of some crucial League Two fixtures.

After being left out of the last two line-ups, Dylan Bahamboula, Benny Couto and Harry Vaughan were named in Selim Benachour’s starting XI on a night when more football scouts than usual - given the time of year and small number of fixtures on the night - were in attendance, from clubs across the divisions.

But if the previous two games had not been suited to Latics’ flare players given the conditions, then for other reasons this was not a game to get the best out of the likes of Vaughan, Couto, and even Bahamboula (although it has been a while since he we have witnessed Moyo magic for a prolonged period).

Vaughan did his best to keep hold of the ball when he got it, but those occasions were limited by a combination of Wigan’s ball retention and man marking.

The teenager soon found himself doubled marked whenever he was in possession, and it was the same for Bahamboula on the right. He had nowhere to go. And Couto, while a capable defender, is at his best when he is able to roam down the left, and there just wasn’t the scope. Defensively he had his toughest test so far as Wigan, with their eyes seemingly on Wembley as well as the Championship, fielded a strong side who were on a 12-game unbeaten run in all competitions ahead of this one.

So if the onus was on putting them in the shop window by restoring them to the line-up, potential suitors might have been put off.

Once Wigan got their noses in front it was evident there was no stopping them.

Tom Naylor made the breakthrough, glancing a header home from Max Power’s free kick just before the half-hour, but the goal had long been coming.

Two goals in two minutes soon after - from Michael Keane heading in a corner, then Max Power ruthlessly firing in a free-kick from at least 35 yards, and it was game over.

Latics found themselves 4-0 down less than two minutes into the second half.

Gavin Massey was afforded too much time and space to pick his shot from the edge of the box. And although it was a good finish, low into the bottom right corner, the returning Danny Rogers - a rare positive for Latics on the night - might be disappointed to be beaten at his near post, although with a number of bodies in front of him he could well have been unsighted.

Latics got a rare sight of goal almost immediately, with Bahamboula the instigator.

The Congo international did well down the right to keep the ball under pressure and then pick out a pass for Turner, who then laid it off for Adams to curl into the box. He found Luamba, but the young forward lifted his first-time effort high over the bar.

Substitute Keillor-Dunn brought a save from Ben Amos with his first touch after replacing Junior Luamba.

But Wigan added a fifth when, after a brilliant double save from Rogers, the ball sat up nicely for Gwion Edwards to bury.

And Edwards added the finishing touch after controlling a cross superbly and finishing well from a tight angle.

Fans poured onto the pitch from the Rochdale Road End in the final 20 minutes to serve a reminder to owner Abdallah Lemsagam that they want him to leave.

LATICS: Rogers; Adams, McGahey, Hart, Couto; Bahamboula (Hope 81), Cisse (Bowden 54), Turner, Hopcutt (Fage 53); Vaughan, Luamba (Keillor-Dunn 54). Unused subs: Leutwiler, Kilner, Atkinson.

WIGAN: Amos; Darikwa, Whatmough, Tilt, Pearce (Robinson 69); Massey (Aasgaard 69), Power, Naylor, Edwards; Lang (Jones 61), Keane (Humphreys 61). Unused subs: Jones, Watts, Kerr.