Aerial view of Bloomfield Road, Blackpool FC by Footyawaydays

Wigan deservedly won the battle of the Championship’s basement clubs with a 3-1 victory at Bloomfield Road.

The three points maintained Latics’ slim hopes of survival but virtually condemned the Seasiders to relegation to League One.

South Korean midfielder Kim Bo-Kyung gave Wigan the lead on the stroke of half time. On loan defender Harry Maguire headed a second on 67 minutes following Jermaine Pennant’s corner.

James McClean sealed the points for Latics on 79 minutes before Gary Madine got a consolation goal for the Seasiders in the closing stages.

Malky Mackay surprisingly made only one change to the team beaten 1-0 by Cardiff City with Scott Carson coming in to replace Ali Al-Habsi in goal.

Cheered on by over 2,000 travelling fans, Latics were on top from the start on a very difficult playing surface.

They might have gone ahead on 13 minutes as Jason Pearce got his head to Jermaine Pennant’s corner, but James Perch was just unable to get the final touch at the far post.

Kim Bo-Kyung was proving to be Latics most creative player and his promptings nearly created a goal for Pearce. The South Korean’s cross found the former Leeds defender but he couldn’t get quite enough power on his header to trouble Blackpool keeper Joe Lewis.

The conditions were making passing difficult and it was looking as though the teams would go into the interval level, but Latics took an important step towards victory on the the stroke of half time.

James McClean drove past two defenders before shooting low towards goal. Keeper Lewis, parried the shot and Pennant pulled the ball back to Kim to tap into the empty net.

Wigan had a scare early in the second half when Tony McMahon went down in the box as Carson came to claim Perkins’ through ball, but fortunately the referee Keith Stroud gave a yellow card for simulation.

Wigan’s back line was proving resolute with all four defenders on fine form. It was club captain Emmerson Boyce who came to the rescue on 62 minutes. A free-kick from Jamie O’Hara led to a scramble in front of goal before Tom Aldred’s effort from close range was superbly cleared off the line by Boyce.

Kim then set up Marc Antoine-Fortune with a great chance to double Latics’ lead, but the striker curled his effort wide from the edge of the area.

Latics were more successful a couple of minutes later when Pennant’s corner to the back post was headed back across goal by Harry Maguire and although it got a touch by Aldred, the ball hit the back of the net.

The game was sealed on 79 minutes when Kim broke quickly to the half-way line and played in three Latics’ players clear on goal. McClean was determined to have it and commanded the ball from Clarke and Fortune before rifling it past Lewis to secure the vital three points.

Blackpool managed a consolation goal on 85 minutes when Madine turned home McMahon’s cross but it was all too late for the Seasiders as Latics ran out comfortable winners.

Blackpool now look odds on for relegation and are 15 points adrift of safety. Latics sit 9 points behind Rotherham and Brighton and have revived their slim hopes of survival.