Antoine Sibierski was on target again as Wigan kick-started its Premier League campaign at the expense of Middlesbrough in a 1-0 victory that will give Latics manager Chris Hutchings a win to savour.
Eyebrows were raised when Hutchings was promoted from assistant to succeed Paul Jewell as manager at the JJB in May after his previous tenure at Bradford ended when he was sacked 12 games into the 2000-01 season after mustering just one win.
But close-season recruit Sibierski struck in the 55th minute with a predatory effort on Wednesday to claim his second goal in as many games and give Hutchings his first win in a season which many expect could be quite bleak Wigan.
Apart from his goal, the former Manchester City striker led the line alongside Emile Heskey before being replaced because of an injury in the 66th minute.
Titus Bramble, a second summer arrival, excelled at the back - while another home debutant, midfielder Jason Koumas, proved his top-flight credentials with a skilful and energetic display.
Boro created little, and the only solace for manager Gareth Southgate was the sight of Mido in the directors' box - the Egyptian striker on the brink of finalising his move from Tottenham.
Ayegbeni Yakubu was sluggish, and new recruit Jeremie Aliadiere also offered little.
But in the eighth minute the visitors cut Wigan apart with a delightful move down the right when Aliadiere released Tuncay Sanli with a perfectly-weighted flick.
Tuncay advanced forward at pace and whipped in a vicious low cross to the near post which forced Paul Scharner to clear for a corner.
But it was Wigan, with Sibierski beginning to dovetail effectively with Heskey, who asked the more searching questions.
Heskey met a deep free-kick from Bramble in the 21st minute, and his excellent header gave Denny Landzaat a shooting opportunity from 14 yards.
The Latics midfielder took a touch before striking a right-foot volley just wide of Mark Schwarzer's left-hand post.
Boro almost engineered its own downfall shortly before the half-hour when a dreadful pass from Julio Arca went straight to the feet of Landzaat, who swiftly advanced before dragging a low shot wide of the far post.
Barely a minute later, Arca displayed his creative qualities with a delicate through ball to Stewart Downing in Wigan's six-yard box.
The England winger struck a low shot goalwards, but Mario Melchiot produced a brilliant block to stop a certain goal.
Wigan's momentum continued to build after the break, and it came as no surprise to anyone when Sibierski made the breakthrough in the 55th minute.
That it should be the underrated Sibierski who claimed the goal was fitting.
After Schwarzer failed to hold Valencia's diagonal low shot from the right, the Frenchman edged ahead of Andrew Davies to stab the ball home.
Boro's response was impressive, Downing firing narrowly wide two minutes later and then striking the post with a low shot in the 63rd minute.
But Wigan dominated as the half wore on and should have added to its tally although the Latics spurned a series of of half-chances, with Heskey firing wide from 20 yards in injury-time.
English Premiership League
Wigan 1 (Sibierski 55)
Middlesbrough 0