West Ham United’s Emirates FA Cup dream turned into a nightmare at Wigan Athletic.
Two goals from Will Grigg, a sending-off for Arthur Masuaku and a serious-looking knee injury suffered by Pedro Obiang completed a forgettable hat-trick as the Latics scored a 2-0 fourth-round win at the DW Stadium.
With eleven players already unavailable, the Hammers were second best against the EFL League One leaders for long periods and saw their hopes of a third trip of the season to Wembley Stadium evaporate over the course of a disappointing 90 minutes.
Wigan went ahead in the seventh minute when Northern Ireland international Grigg got into space behind former teammate Reece Burke to powerfully head Nathan Byrne’s right-wing cross into the top left-hand corner past Joe Hart.
Having gone ahead, Paul Cook’s already impressive side continued to press and had a second ‘goal’ disallowed before Nick Powell twice went close, firing a powerful effort narrowly over Hart’s crossbar before doing likewise with a looping header.
Obiang’s afternoon then came to a premature and painful end eleven minutes before half-time when he went in for a midfield challenge with Max Power and suffered what looked to be a right knee injury that saw him stretchered off.
West Ham’s only chance of the opening 45 came a minute before the break when Toni Martinez got to the byline and crossed, only for Chicharito’s shot to be blocked and substitute Reece Oxford to slice the follow-up high and wide.
Portugal international Joao Mario was sent on for his debut at the break but, after a bright start to the second half, West Ham were reduced to ten men when Masuaku was shown the red card by referee Chris Kavanagh after an off-the-ball incident.
And Kavanagh had his whistle to his mouth again shortly after the hour-mark, pointing for a penalty after Burke had allegedly handled as Grigg attempted to flick the ball past him. The same player stepped up to score his second of the game from the spot.
Two goals and a man down, West Ham’s FA Cup ambitions were all but over with half-an-hour to go.
The ten men continued to work hard, but could not fashion any real chances to test home goalkeeper Christian Walton, while Wigan saw Powell’s low shot blocked by Burke and a Byrne centre flash across the face of goal.
Mr Kavanagh brought the game to an end and West Ham’s long wait for a fourth FA Cup success goes on.
Wigan Athletic: Walton, Byrne, Elder (James 86), Burn, Dunkley, Morsy ©, Power, Massey (Colclough 75), Powell, Jacobs, Grigg (Roberts 88)
Subs not used: Jones (GK), Perkins, Bruce, Fulton
Goals: Grigg 7, 62
Booked: Colclough
West Ham United: Hart ©, Zabaleta (Joao Mario 46), Burke, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Byram, Obiang (Oxford 34), Cullen, Masuaku, Martinez (Haksabanovic 79), Chicharito
Subs not used: Adrian (GK), Collins, Quina, Diangana
Booked: Ogbonna
Sent-off: Masuaku
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Attendance: 14,194 (4,759 West Ham United supporters)