Scharner looked to have won it when he took off in the penalty area and hooked the ball over his shoulder past a startled Robert Green but although he raced to the touchline to celebrate a possible third Wigan win in a row with manager Chris Hutchings, it was to be shortlived.

Substitute Bowyer, on for Hayden Mullins, finished crisply two minutes later when fed by fellow sub Luis Boa Morte and shamed Hammers' earlier efforts to score.

Hammers manager Alan Curbishley could see more home points slipping away when he brought on England hopeful Dean Ashton for Bobby Zamora for the last 30 minutes. But it was the Hammers' two other subs who turned up trumps. West Ham have still never beaten Wigan in the Premier League at Upton Park but if their finishing had been anywhere near accurate they could have wrapped this one up in the opening half.