text: Benik Afobe’s first-half finish kept Wolves slim dreams of promotion alive and helped push 10-man Wigan to the brink of relegation after a tense clash at the DW Stadium. Afobe popped up unmarked early on to bundle home and the result leaves Wigan on the verge of dropping into English football’s third-tier after a dreadful season. To make matters worse, the Latics will have to face Brentford next weekend without star man James McClean who received his marching orders in injury-time for a second bookable offence. Wolverhampton's Benik Afobe (right) celebrates scoring the winner in a 1-0 defeat of Wigan . The Latics had James McClean sent off for a second bookable offence in jury time . Wigan Athletic: Carson; Pearce, Perch, Maguire; Boyce, Chow (Cowie 79), Kvist (Fortune 56), Bong, Bo-kyung; McClean, Pennant (McKay 68) Subs not used: Al Habsi, Taylor, McCann, Cowie, Barnett . Booked: Boyce, Bong, Fortune, McClean (sent off) Wolves: Kuszczak; Iorfa, Ebanks-Landell, Stearman (c), Golbourne; Edwards, McDonald, Price, Sako (Hause 82); Afobe, Dicko (Doyle 82) Subs not used: Flatt, Doherty, Henry, van La Parra, Jacobs . Booked: Iorfa, Stearman and Dicko . Scorer: Afobe 25 . Referee: J Linington . Attendance: 16,810 . The Latics now have to hope Rotherham fail against Reading on Tuesday and Leeds United next weekend while they win at Griffin Park on the last day of the season. Wigan’s dire position represents a spectacular downfall for the north-west club who lifted the FA Cup just 712 days ago and who spent eight entertaining years in the Premier League between 2005 and 2013. They once seemed to brilliantly punch above their weight in England’s top-flight but they have slipped into despair after using three managers and 42 players across this season. And, worryingly enough for their fans, if they do go down an uncomfortable summer involving an expected player exodus will almost certainly be on the cards. Yet this clash was not all about the home side as Afobe also ensured that Wolves fans can still dream of a Wembley ending to this season – but only just. The stakes for both sides in this clash could hardly have been higher as Kenny Jackett’s visitors needed three points to keep up their late scramble for a play-off spot although that now looks unlikely as they would need three points and a huge goal swing on the last day to make it into the top six. Afobe races past Wigan's Gaetan Bong as the visitors kept their hopes of promotion alive . Wigan defender Emmerson Boyce drops to his knees as the former FA Cup winners head towards the drop . Gary Caldwell, the former Wigan captain parachuted into the managerial hotseat following Malky Mackay’s sacking earlier this month, again called for the club’s fans to meet and greet his squad at the players’ carpark before the match to let them know how much survival meant. A healthy handful did just that but their pleas fell on deaf ears in a clash that just about summed up Wigan’s entire season. They home side dominated the opening moments and looked up for the challenge of beating the odds – and the drop – and McClean should have scored when he swivelled and shot from close range after seven minutes. Caldwell’s influence on Wigan has been immediate and they are playing far better football than witnessed earlier this year under either Uwe Rosler or Mackay. But killer instinct is in short supply – and it showed. Former Stoke star Jermaine Pennant was the next to test Wolves defence as his deflected effort only just went over the bar after 12 minutes but the home side were then undone shortly after with the kind of goal that underlines the chronic defensive frailties that have so affected this term. A Bakary Sako free-kick from the edge of the box was brilliantly met by Afobe who could not miss from three yards out as Wigan’s defence stood and watched. As news filtered around the DW Stadium that Derby were losing at Millwall, and that Wolves were just a point outside the top-six as a consequence, Jackett’s side looked to press home their advantage against a Wigan side that played attractively without any real penetration. However, neither side created any real clear-cut chances and both goalkeepers spent the remainder of the first half as spectators. After the break, Wigan again began fresher as they knew they had 45 minutes to realistically save their season and although McClean, Pennant and Bo-kyung tried to link up and break down Wolves, they again lacked any real cutting edge. Wigan's James Perch and Wigan's Marc-Antoine Fortune head off dejected after the final whistle . Wigan supporters begin to come to terms with the fact that relegation is out of their hands . However, it was the same at both ends with Nouha Dicko and Sako both having little say in the game and although Afobe did find the back of the net after 57 minutes, his handball in the build-up was spotted by the referee who disallowed the effort. With half an hour to go, Wolves should have been 2-0 up but Wigan had keeper Carson to thank for blocking Dicko as he ran through on goal. And Carson was also at his best soon after when Afobe’s corner was superbly flicked goalwards by Dave Edwards but the former England No.1 brilliantly tipped over to keep the Latics in the contest. His team-mates responded to his efforts by launching a late charge at Wolves with James Perch and McClean both looking to surge forward and get on the scoresheet. Both sets of players observe a minute's silence to mark the anniversary of the Bradford stadium fire . Last week, when Wigan threw caution to the wind against Brighton they were rewarded with a late three points and they tried the same again in this match but they could not quite manage it. And when McClean picked up a second yellow in the dying moments , Wigan’s hopes left the field with him. Both these teams can still get what they want out of this season. But only just. And next Saturday will have to be really, truly remarkable if that is to happen.
target: Wolves hopes of Championship promotion remain after defeat of Wigan .
  Benik Afobe scored the winner after layching on to Bakary Sako's free-kick .
  The Latics had star player James McClean sent in injury time .