DAVID Wheater completed a third full 90 minutes for Wanderers development squad this afternoon at Wigan but was on the losing side in the Lancashire FA Senior Cup quarter-final tie.

A solitary Jordan Flores goal was enough to see the 10-man Latics progress to the last four but the Whites were unlucky not to take the tie to penalties after piling on the pressure late on.

Wheater, who is building up his fitness after several weeks on the sidelines with a back problem, was joined in a strong Whites side by fellow first-teamers Dean Moxey, Liam Trotter, Oscar Threlkeld, Joe Mason and Rob Hall.

And in front of watching first-team boss Neil Lennon, it was the lively Hall who went closest early on.

The ex-West Ham wide struck the base of the post after firing in a low effort from the right hand side of the area 10 minutes in.

The visitors made most of the play, but as the half drew to a close, a flowing Wigan move ended with Alex Cvetkovic firing straight at Ross Ftizsimons in the Wanderers goal.

Threlkeld, who had partnered Wheater in the centre of defence, was replaced at half-time by Ryan Sellers with Moxey switching inside.

Wigan started the second period as they ended the first and Cvetkovic saw a powerful shot rebound off the upright.

The hosts were then reduced to 10 when Joey Johnson saw red on 49 minutes for an over-zealous challenge on Conor Wilkinson.

Fitzsimons denied Flores at full-stretch soon after but was beaten when the forward converted a right-wing cross on 69 minutes.

Wanderers threw everything at the hosts at the end with Wilkinson and Hall both denied after wonderful jinking runs in from the right.

The best chance, however, fell to Trotter unmarked 12 yards out but he blazed over.

As the full-time whistle sounded there was a scare for Lennon when Moxey stayed down with a knock to his right thigh but he got up and limped away gingerly.