Stoke had started with bite.
The red kits swarmed into Wigan's half, a tight passing exchange on the far side pulling Bennett and Whatmough slightly out of shape.
Their winger raced to the byline and fizzed in a low ball across the box—sharp, threatening.
But it skidded just behind the striker, the kind of pass that looked perfect until the last half-second.
Tilt didn't wait.
He launched a foot through the clearance, high and clear, before it could turn threatening again.
"Good pressure from Stoke, but just missing that final connection," the commentator said. "You can tell they came in fired up."
Behind the attack, the away fans beat drums and hollered, their chants echoing into the DW air like a war drum.
For a moment, it looked like the tempo belonged to them.
Until Wigan took it back.
Jones passed short to Whatmough, who took one touch and fed it back to Tilt.
The defender, despite the press, didn't blast it and held onto the ball.
