Luke Hyam’s 20th minute goal, only his third for the club, sees the Blues leading 1-0 at Wigan at half-time.
On-loan striker Conor Sammon was handed his second Town start against his old club with Hyam also returning to the side.
Jay Tabb was missing through illness and Paul Anderson dropped to the bench, while recent re-signing Darren Ambrose was on the bench for the first time since signing a short-term deal. Town lined-up 4-3-3 with David McGoldrick behind Sammon and Daryl Murphy.
The Latics dominated the early stages and went close in the third minute when Andy Delort headed into the ground and over from Shaun Maloney’s cross following a freekick, Murphy having tripped Callum McManaman on the right.
Town gradually began to get a foothold in the game and on 14 McGoldrick found Mings on the left with a looping ball, the full-back bringing the ball all the way across the area to the right wing without being able to find a gap for a shot.
Murphy struck the Blues’ first effort on goal in the 18th minute, Latics keeper Scott Carson getting down to his right to push away the Irishman’s 25-yard effort. A minute later, Mings crossed from the left and Sammon stooped to nod wide at the far post.
Town were starting to get on top and in the 20th minute they went in front. Murphy used his strength on the right to hold off a defender before playing a ball in to Hyam on the edge of the area.
The midfielder moved it on to McGoldrick, who fed Mings on the left, who in turn crossed low into the box back to Hyam, who turned the ball home for his first goal of the season, only the third of his senior career and Town's first at the DW Stadium.
Town went close to adding a second within a minute when McGoldrick got into a good position on the right inside the area and cut the ball across towards Sammon, but hit the ex-Latic on the backside and the danger was cleared.
Christophe Berra picked up the game’s first yellow card in the 22nd minute for a late challenge on McManaman as he broke on the right. From Adam Forshaw’s freekick, Emmerson Boyce headed well over.
The Blues, who were by now well on top, went close again three minutes later when Cole Skuse threaded a ball through to Murphy just to the right, midway inside the Wigan half. The Blues’ number nine cut a low ball towards McGoldrick with the advancing Carson looking beaten, but Ivan Ramis got in ahead of him to slide the ball behind.
Wigan started to come back into it again and on 32 Boyce saw a shot from inside the area deflect wide off Berra. Four minutes later, the Latics were forced into a substitution, the injured McManaman making way for James McClean.
Mings had his name added to referee Andy Woolmer’s book in the 39th minute for a trip as Maloney broke through the centre midway inside the Town half. Skipper Luke Chambers was had got back as cover and the yellow card was the right decision.
The freekick deflected wide off the wall and from the resultant corner on the right Delort headed well beyond the far post.
Neither side threatened again before the referee brought the half to a close with the Blues deserving their lead.
After the home side had dominated the first 10 minutes, the Blues got on top and created two very decent chances in addition to Hyam’s well-worked goal.
The Latics came more into the game again towards the break but without creating a significant chance, while Town continued to look a threat.
Wigan: Carson, Ramis, Maloney, McManaman (McClean 36), Boyce (c), Cowie, Perch, Forshaw, Kiernan, Kvist, Delort. Subs: Al Habsi, Barnett, Taylor, Tavernier, Waghorn, Riera.
Town: Gerken, Parr, Chambers (c), Berra, Mings, Skuse, Hyam, Bishop, McGoldrick, Sammon, Murphy. Subs: Bialkowski, Smith, Bru, Ambrose, Henshall, Anderson, Bajner. Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire).