Cambridge United stunned Wigan Athletic to end the League One leaders’ nine-game unbeaten league run and keep the battle for automatic promotion open.

Harvey Knibbs calmly rolled the ball in for the U’s, before Sam Smith sat a header into the roof of the net.

Tom Naylor pulled a goal back from a Latics corner, but Cambridge held on for a first win at Wigan since 1991.

It was their first win at the DW Stadium, that previous U’s victory having come at the Latics’ former home at Springfield Park.

Mark Bonner’s mid-table side dominated early on, with Lloyd Jones heading into the side netting from a corner, before Joe Ironside’s header across goal caused panic in the penalty area.

Cambridge eventually found the breakthrough when top scorer Ironside was unselfish in laying off Knibbs, who took the ball down, ignored the presence of battling defenders and slotted into the net.

Adam May’s shot from distance was smartly kept out by Wigan goalkeeper Ben Amos, but the warning signs were ignored as Smith raced into the penalty area to head in James Brophy’s dinked cross.

Just as in the first half, the hosts struggled to create clear chances after the break until Naylor gave his side a lift by powering in a header.

With the game stretched in a frantic final few minutes, Cambridge defender George Williams missed the opportunity to seal the three points when getting his head to a cross at the near post.

That nearly cost his team as Wigan substitute Tom Pearce sliced ​​an effort over the bar, before Will Keane was expertly denied by a close-range save from keeper Dimitar Mitov in added time, with the Bulgarian pushing away the rebound just as Josh Magennis closed in .