STEVE Cook’s dramatic late header prevented Cherries from being knocked out of the FA Cup by a League One side for the second time in 13 months.

Wigan had appeared on course for victory at Vitality Stadium after Will Grigg and a deflected Nick Powell free-kick gave them a 2-0 lead at the break.

But after Lys Mousset scored his first goal for Cherries since signing in the summer of 2016, defender Cook rose brilliantly to head home Marc Pugh’s cross in the second minute of stoppage time.

The Dorset side therefore ensured they would be in the hat for Monday’s fourth-round draw.

Cherries boss Eddie Howe made eight changes to the side which had shared a draw with Brighton on New Year’s Day. In came winger Connor Mahoney for his Cherries debut while Brad Smith made his first appearance since September after recovering from a hip injury.

United States international Emerson Hyndman was chosen for his second Cherries start, while Mousset, Ryan Fraser, Andrew Surman, Nathan Ake and Artur Boruc were recalled.

Wigan included Shaun MacDonald on their bench after the former Cherries midfielder returned from fracturing his tibia and fibula against Reading in April.

Cherries suffered a disastrous start when Wigan took the lead inside three minutes.

Cook charged down Michael Jacobs’s left-wing cross but the Wigan man got his delivery right at the second attempt. Powell nodded the ball down and Grigg had time to control and lash inside the left post.

The home side had an immediate chance to respond. Mahoney swung in a wonderful delivery from a free-kick on the right and Mousset’s header was blocked at close range by goalkeeper Christian Walton, the Frenchman unable to fire home on the follow up.

Powell lifted an audacious effort over the bar from range and it was not long before the same man and Jacobs made mess of a promising situation which should have resulted in at least a shot at goal.

A second golden chance for the hosts went begging in the 16th minute. Mahoney’s cross found its way to Mousset at the back stick and the striker’s powerful effort crashed into Dan Burn on the line.

Cherries had cranked up the pressure and Ake headed wide a presentable opportunity from a Fraser corner.

Back came the Latics and Powell would have been disappointed to see his crisp strike flash wide of the target, while at the other end Mousset acrobatically hooked over from Adam Smith’s cross.

With the half hour mark looming, Wigan doubled their lead. Powell’s free-kick from the right edge of the box took a deflection off the top of the wall and looped beyond Boruc and into the far corner. The visiting fans hammered the point home: “2-0 to the League One side.”

Mousset continued to graft up top and his endeavour earned Cherries a soft free-kick. Mahoney sent in another dangerous delivery which was half-cleared, Fraser thundering over with a first-time effort.

Seconds before the break, Howe’s men created again. Ake proved an unlikely source of forward momentum when he charged deep into the Wigan half, the Dutchman feeding Mahoney whose near-post shot was gathered by Walton.

Referee Andy Madley soon blew his whistle and boos were heard in Vitality Stadium.

Howe sent Jordon Ibe and Pugh on for the second half, with Mahoney and Brad Smith the players sacrificed.

Ibe played a key role in Cherries’ first opening of the half. His clever pass picked out Fraser, whose pull-back found Afobe, the DR Congo international’s fierce strike saved brilliantly by Walton.

The hosts were getting closer and Cook headed against the bar from Fraser’s corner before Pugh slammed into the ground on the follow up and Walton collected.

Finally, a breakthrough. Ten minutes after the restart, Ibe threaded through for Mousset and the former Le Havre attacker lashed high into the net to get off the mark for the Dorset club.

Mousset was hunting another and from Pugh’s cross, the France under-21 international’s shot flew into Burn when a goal seemed a more likely outcome.

On as a substitute, Ivan Toney spurned a decent opportunity after chesting down in the box, the ball dropping past the left post.

Wigan should have had a third when Jacobs pulled back for Max Power but the ball rose high into the stand. Soon after, Power had another go but Cook got a vital block in.

On came Callum Wilson for Afobe as Howe had one last throw of the dice. But the game would surely have drifted out of sight had Ake not made a last-ditch challenge on Gavin Massey in the box.

The game was still remarkably open. Ake won the ball by the touchline and eight passes later, Cherries had worked the ball up the pitch, Hyndman frustrated to see his drive fly clear of the bar.

Matters were winding down but the pace of the game was increasing. After Smith was brought down, Fraser’s free-kick cleared the wall but Walton palmed over.

Wigan could have had a goal – or a penalty – with minutes remaining. Hyndman lost the ball under severe pressure and eventually Toney broke clear. He appeared to have been pushed over by Adam Smith in the box but referee Madley gave nothing.

Latics assistant boss Leam Richardson was soon ordered from the dugout and in the second minute of stoppage time, Cook popped up with a dramatic winner.

Fraser might even have won it for the hosts but his Exocet flashed past the upright.

MATCH FACTS

Cherries (4-4-1-1): Boruc; A Smith, S Cook, Ake, B Smith (Pugh, h-t); Mahoney (Ibe, h-t), Surman, Hyndman, Fraser; Mousset; Afobe (Wilson, 71).

Unused subs: Simpson, Gosling, Butcher, Federici (g/k).

Booked: A Smith.

Wigan (4-4-1-1): Walton; Byrne, Burn, Dunkley, James; Massey (Roberts, 83), Morsy, Power, Jacobs; Powell (Perkins, 56); Grigg (Toney, 65).

Unused subs: Elder, MacDonald, Hunt, Sarkic (g/k).

Booked: Massey, Power.

Referee: Andy Madley (West Yorkshire).