Steve Bruce, the Wigan Athletic manager, watched his side overpower Ipswich Town with four second-half goals on a night when family pride was also at stake. The former Manchester United defender’s son, Alex, was a member of the beaten home side, who had threatened an upset.

“I’m just pleased to be in the hat,” Bruce Sr said. “Ipswich caused us many problems and Alex did well. I’m sure his mother is very proud of him.”

Although Emile Heskey had twice forced Richard Wright into fingertip saves and Amr Zaki, his strike partner, hit the crossbar with a free kick in stoppage time, Ipswich had gone in at half-time the better side last night.

David Norris forced Chris Kirkland into a save and Tommy Miller repeatedly missed the same upright by a matter of inches. Bruce Jr thought that he had scored when his header eluded Kirkland, only to be stopped on the line by Lee Cattermole.

“Certain people have said it was over [the line], but the referee didn’t give it and it’s his opinion that counts,” the younger Bruce said.

Iván Campo, the Ipswich midfield player, had seen his follow-up effort blocked by Titus Bramble seconds later, with the Wigan defender having been given the captain’s armband on his first return to the club whom he left to join Newcastle in 2002.

It was a different story in the second half, however. Cattermole scored his first Wigan goal since leaving Middlesbrough in the summer when Wright was unable to hold on to Wilson Palacios’s free kick and, although Jonathan Walters volleyed in a fine equaliser, Olivier Kapo swept Wigan back in front and the tie was wrapped up with goals from Paul Scharner and Henri Camara, a substitute.

Ipswich Town (4-4-2): R Wright — M Volz, A Bruce, G McAuley, B Thatcher (sub: P Balkestein, 46min) — D Norris, I Campo, T Miller, A Quinn (sub: D Haynes, 72) — J Walters, K Lisbie (sub: D Bowditch, 82). Substitutes not used: S Supple, O Garvan, J Peters, V Shumulikoski. Booked: Volz.

Wigan Athletic (4-4-2): C Kirkland — E Boyce, T Bramble, P Scharner, K Kilbane — L A Valencia, L Cattermole, W Palacios (sub: D de Ridder, 71), O Kapo — A Zaki (sub: J Koumas, 83), E Heskey (sub: H Camara, 76). Substitutes not used: M Pollitt, R Taylor, T Kupisz, M Figueroa. Booked: Scharner.

Referee: M Dean.

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