Wigan never had the quality and incisiveness to break down a stubborn Stoke side, who never looked like squandering the lead given to them by Noel-Williams seven minutes before the break, when he rounded off a fine move.
Wigan huffed and puffed and had plenty of pressure, but with Gerry Taggart and Clint Hill dominant in the Stoke defence, the home side were reduced to half chances.
Strikers Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington never showed the form that makes them the division's most feared partnership and it was left to midfielders Alan Mahon and Lee McCulloch to create the better chances.