Leeds 2 Wigan 2. 3-3AET. Wigan win 4-2 on penaltiesGraham Kavanagh fired home the winning spot-kick, despite the midfielder having failed to score in 36 appearances for Wigan since a £1 million move from Cardiff last March.
The preceding 120 minutes had been nailbiting stuff, with Wigan three times taking the lead, only for Leeds to hit back on each occasion. Yet the drama of the spot-kicks proved their undoing, with David Healy and Rob Hulse blazing over, while Wigan were perfect, with Jimmy Bullard, Gary Teale, two-goal hero Jason Roberts and Kavanagh all on target.
The win was all the more remarkable for Wigan as manager Paul Jewell unable to field a full-strength bench, with two youngsters in Kevin Lee and Luke Joyce stretching the numbers to four. Jewell was without Stephane Henchoz through suspension, the ineligible Paul Scharner, Henri Camara on African Nations' Cup duty and with a number of others injured.
Throw into the mix an FA Youth Cup tie dragging other up-and-comers away, and it was also a case of "mend and make do" for Jewell.
Yet his side managed to take a 23rd-minute lead, with a rare strike from Sweden international Andreas Johansson. The £450,000 capture from Djurgaardens a year ago has struggled for playing time since that move, with this only his 13th appearance and seventh start. But Johansson nabbed his third goal for the club, seizing on a knock down from Roberts, and although his first effort struck the post, he forced home the rebound from close range. Wigan deserved the lead, even if they were fortunate not to be trailing after just four minutes.
The industry of on-loan Manchester United midfielder Liam Miller saw him ride a tackle deep inside his own half from Republic of Ireland team-mate Kavanagh. Miller then embarked on a 70-yard run before laying the ball off to Healy, and despite rounding the advancing John Filan, the angle proved too tight as his weak shot finished in the side-netting.
After a couple of chances for Damien Francis, Wigan served notice of their intent in the 15th minute when Teale rattled the bar from 18 yards. Yet Johansson's breakthrough soon after galvanised Leeds.
Hulse, hero 10 days ago at the JJB Stadium with a late leveller, turned Arjan de Zeeuw on the edge of the area after receiving a through ball from Simon Walton, only to shave the bar.
Five minutes from the break, Leeds gained their reward for the more industrious football at that stage, with poacher Healy on the line to force the ball home after Filan had superbly blocked a downward Hulse header.
Wigan started the second half in the ascendancy and were back in front in the 49th minute, with Roberts scoring his 10th of the season. Dragging down Teale's cross, Roberts turned, shrugging aside the attentions of Gary Kelly, before despatching a crisp 20-yard drive to the net.
But again that only steeled Leeds' resolve, and after Eddie Lewis had rattled the crossbar from an acute angle, Leeds proceeded to hit back for the second time, and third overall in the tie.
There was no doubt about the 63rd-minute handball decision awarded by referee Graham Poll against Matt Jackson, with the centre-back's right hand catching Kelly's corner. That allowed Healy to beat Filan from the spot.
There was almost a spectacular winner from Miller in regulation, but for the third time in the game the woodwork intervened.
Still the drama continued in extra time, with Roberts heading Wigan back in front in the 103rd minute, yet Leeds refused to lie down. In the 115th minute a half-cleared corner to Kelly was thundered home from 25 yards, with the right-back scoring his first goal for three years, and only his fourth in 14½ seasons at the club.
But despite such valour, Leeds were found wanting at the death.
LEEDS: Sullivan, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Crainey, Miller (Einarsson 87), Walton (Blake 103), Douglas, Lewis (Cresswell 88), Hulse, Healy. Subs Not Used: Bennett, Pugh. Booked: Walton. Goals: Healy 41, 64 pen, Kelly 116.
WIGAN: Filan, Chimbonda, De Zeeuw, Jackson, Baines, Teale, Francis (Bullard 77), Kavanagh, Skoko (Joyce 100), Johansson, Roberts. Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Lee. Goals: Johansson 24, Roberts 50, 103.
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
