IT WAS literally men against boys at the DW Stadium as Accrington Stanley booked their place in the knockout stage of the Checkatrade Trophy at the expense of a youthful Wigan Athletic.

The Reds’ second string swept away the Latics team of teens to secure second place in group B.

Erico Sousa stole the show with an assist and two goals as Jonny Edwards and Mekhi McLeod netted for the first time this season.

Only three players who started in the FA Cup at Guiseley survived in the starting XI but one, Billy Kee, lasted just three minutes before dropping to the turf in an unfamiliar left back position and being replaced by Reagan Ogle.

The first goal came after just 11 minutes, with Sousa surging down the right and crossing for Edwards to sweep in a shot from just over six yards off the underside of the bar.

The Portuguese was at the heart of Stanley’s best work, crossing again for Mallik Wilks to head over before providing a free kick from which Farrend Rawson nodded wide.

Soon Sousa had a goal of his own, running to the edge of the box and dispatching his second goal of the season with a shot that brushed off the inside of the right post to make it 2-0.

A Wigan side with only one player over the age of 20 struggled to make much impact, with Luke Burgess the only one to test Max Stryjek in the first half before defender Tylor Golden lashed a shot wide.

After the restart Wilks saw a shot blocked by a defender and Edwards shot straight at Roberts before Sousa took centre stage again, accelerating into the Wigan area and arrowing his second and Stanley’s third into the bottom left corner of the net.

The home side could have been down to 10 men soon after when teenage midfielder Will McGuffie went over the top of the ball in a challenge with Scott Brown. Wilks reacted angrily and both he and McGuffie were shown yellow cards.

When Sousa was replaced by Jordan Clark late on even the home fans applauded the winger’s efforts.

That left time for McLeod to make a late cameo and add a fourth, seizing on a defensive error by Terel Thomas to lash in his first Stanley goal from an acute angle on the left and celebrating with a comedy fall in front of first team coach John Doolan.