Sib made the F.A. Cup holders sweat as he netted with just three minutes left

Antonie Sibierski's late strike made the current E.ON sponsored F.A. Cup holders sweat in the last few minutes but with the visitors having already having scored two second half goals by Nicolas Anelka and Shaun Wright-Phillips, it came just too late for Latics to make any comeback to force a replay.

After holding Chelsea to a goalless draw at half-time, it was Latics who seemed more determined against the lackluster visitors, but a classy goal by the Stamford Bridge club set them on their way to the next round at Wigan's expense.

Chelsea broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when Anelka volleyed in from Juliano Belletti's long ball in clinical fashion inside the box, and the Frenchman helped them double their lead with seven minutes remaining after he beat his marker and squared the ball to Wright-Phillip who easily dispatched the ball past the helpless Chris Kirkland.

Latics halved the deficit with just three minutes before full-time when substitute Sibierski controlled Jason Koumas' cross superbly with his back to goal, before swiveling around the smashing a shot into top corner.

Wigan very nearly grabbed a late equaliser in stoppage time when Marcus Bent latched onto a long ball, but his volley smacked the bar from a tight angle.

Latics started off slowly but as the first half wore on they looked the more likely to cause an upset as Chelsea failed to threaten the goal with any meaningful attack, with the entire defence all doing their part to block shots and put in the tackles.

Marcus Bent looked very lively in attack and there were several occasions when he looked like ending Chelsea's defence of the cup.

In the 25th minute Emile Heskey spotted the on-loan Charlton striker in in space, and he threaded the ball through to the clubs top scorer, but as he was about to pull the trigger, Wayne Bridge made a vital tackle to clear for the corner.

But Bent only had to wait another four minutes before his next chance as he latched onto Taylor's pass before he was quickly surrounded by three Chelsea defenders. The hit man decided to try his luck from distance, although he blasted over the bar from outside the box.

Taylor, who was the only change in the starting line-up following Denny Landzaat's sale to Feyenoord, threatened the Chelsea goal when he fired over the bar from Michael Brown's knockdown.

Heskey saw his near post shot blocked by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech who later comfortably saved from a Koumas free kick.

Apart from the goals, Chelsea's only real threat was in the opening minute as they broke on the attack, but Joe Cole's curling shot went wide of the far post.

There was also controversey just after the hour as Claude Makele fell to ground after he claimed Brown elbowed him, but replays proved the French midfielder made a real meal of it whilst the Latics enforcer continued without a booking.

Although Wigan's F.A. Cup dream has come to an early end once more, they were by no means outclassed and it was just a case of Chelsea taking whatever few chances came their way.

LATICS: Kirkland; Melchiot (c), Bramble, Scharner, Kilbane; Valencia, Brown, Palacios (Sibierski 76), Taylor (Koumas 57); Heskey (Aghahowa 86), Bent.

SUBS: Pollitt, Boyce

BOOKED: Bramble, Scharner, Palacios, Aghahowa

CHELSEA: Cech; Belletti, Carvalho, Alex, Bridge; Malouda (Ferreria 80), Makekle (c), Sidwell, Cole, Wright-Phillps; Anelka (Pizarro 90)

UNUSED SUBS: Cudicini, Ben-Haim, Sinclair

BOOKED: Alex, Carvalho

REFEREE: Uriah Rennie (South Yorkshire)

ATTENDANCE: 14,166