- Rodallega (53)
- McCarthy (30)
- Date:2009-12-26
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:The JJB Stadium
- Attendance:20243
- Referee:Clattenburg, M
Live Commentary
90mins
Wigan 1 Blackburn 1: Both teams have to settle for a point apiece as Rodallega cancels out McCarthy's earlier effort for Rovers.
90mins
Blackburn send the free-kick into the area. Kirkland comes for it and misses it, but Bramble clears.
90mins
Thomas picks up a yellow card for Wigan.
90mins
Scharner heads the ball away from Kirkland and Blackburn gain a corner as the two Wigan men collide.
90mins
There will be a minimum of four minutes added time at the end of the match.
89mins
Corner for Wigan. They swing the ball in and it's headed away for another corner. Late pressure for the visitors to survive.
88mins
Good defending by Hoilett foils N'Zogbia as he tries to get behind the Blackburn defence.
86mins
Effort from Andrews goes just wide. Kirkland watched it away, but it was very close to nestling in the corner.
85mins
N'Zogbia is fouled by Samba and another Blackburn man finds himself with a caution.
83mins
Good ball forward for Gomez. He gets caught in two minds and his effort across goal is neither a cross or shot and the chance is gone for Wigan.
82mins
Overhead kick from McCarthy. Kirkland spreads himself well and makes a fine save from close range.
81mins
McCarthy shoots from just outside of the box, but he fires a few yards wide and Wigan have a goal-kick.
80mins
It's been a reasonably entertaining half, but neither side look likely to break the deadlock.
79mins
Foul by Gomez on Givet and Blackburn get a free-kick just inside their own half.
78mins
N'Zogbia goes down under a challenge from Pedersen and the substitute gets a yellow card, just a minute after coming on.
77mins
Rodallega gets above Nelsen at the far post, but his header is straight into the arms of Robinson.
76mins
Blackburn substitution: Pedersen comes on for Salgado.
75mins
Rodallega curls the corner towards the far post and Boyce almost gets on the end of the cross, but he can't quite get there and it's out for a goal-kick.
75mins
Wigan win a corner, but it looks like N'Zogbia is struggling for the home side.
73mins
Samba gives Wigan a throw-in as he blasts the ball into touch under no pressure.
71mins
Blackburn substitution: Di Santo exits the field and on comes Jason Roberts.
69mins
Long ball forward towards Rodallega, who races to beat Nelsen to the ball, but the Blackburn man puts it out for a throw-in.
67mins
Blackburn substitution: Chimbonda goes off and is replaced by Jacobsen.
66mins
Wigan win the ball back again and launch another attack, but N'Zogbia's effort across goal is just wide.
65mins
Scharner breaks forward for Wigan. He gets towards the edge of the Blackburn goal, but he's just dispossessed as he goes to shoot and Blackburn counter attack.
63mins
Corner to Blackburn. It's taken by McCarthy, but Samba commits a foul on Kirkland and it's a free-kick to Wigan.
62mins
Good play between N'Zogbia and Scotland. N'Zogbia tries to run at the Blackburn defence, but he takes on one player too many and is dispossessed.
58mins
N'Zogbia crosses, but he over-hits it and it's out for a throw-in to Blackburn on the far side.
56mins
It's been a much better start to the second half for Wigan and Blackburn have barely come out of the changing room.
54mins
Gomez finds Rodallega, who works the ball to Scotland. He has a great chance to put Wigan in front, but his effort is poor and it's a comfortable save for Robinson.
52mins
Wigan 1 Blackburn 1: Rodallega gets above his man to head into the far corner and it brings the home side level.
52mins
Corner is met by Boyce but he can't get the direction on his header and the danger is cleared.
51mins
N'Zogbia cuts into the area. He finds Gomez, but he delays the shot and it's deflected wide for a corner.
50mins
Foul on Rodallega and Wigan have a free-kick. It's been a decent start to the second half by the home side.
49mins
Cross into the Blackburn area is turned behind by Samba and Wigan have a corner.
48mins
Good play by N'Zogbia, who earns his side a throw under pressure from three defenders.
48mins
N'Zonzi gets forward and strikes from the edge of the area, but it's just wide of the upright.
47mins
McCarthy looks to get behind the Wigan defence but he's adjudged to have strayed offside.
46mins
Blackburn get the second half underway.
45mins
Wigan 0 Blackburn 1: McCarthy's close range effort gives Blackburn a half-time lead in a largely uneventful first half.
45mins
There will be a minimum of two minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
45mins
Wigan almost equalise right on the stroke of half-time. There's a scramble in the Blackburn box which ends with a decent save by Robinson and Chimbonda follows up to clear.
44mins
Chimbonda slides in on Rodallega and it's a yellow card for the Blackburn man.
43mins
Ball forward looks for N'Zonzi, but the Blackburn man just strays offside.
42mins
Scharner does well down the right and crosses into the Blackburn area. The ball eventually finds Gomez, but his shot is way over Robinson's goal.
40mins
Shot by Andrews but it hits his own player and deflects away for a goal-kick.
39mins
Long diagonal ball towards Scotland, but Robinson comes out well to claim.
38mins
Scotland holds the ball up well. He finds Figueroa, who crosses, but it's poor from the Wigan man.
35mins
Poor tackle on Melchiot by Givet and the Wigan man stays down injured. Givet stays down also, but the referee gives the Blackburn man the yellow card once he gets to his feet.
33mins
Wigan are struggling to settle in possession since they conceded the goal.
31mins
Half chance for Wigan. Scharner gets to the ball about 12 yards out, but his header is just off target and it's a goal-kick to Blackburn.
29mins
Wigan 0 Blackburn 1: The free-kick is played into the area by Andrews. The ball gets headed back across goal by Nelsen and McCarthy was on hand to side foot home and give Blackburn the lead.
28mins
Foul by Rodallega on Salgado and it's a free-kick to Blackburn about 15 yards inside the Wigan half.
26mins
Di Santo does well down the wing. He cuts inside and the ball runs to Hoilett as the Wigan defence switch off, but Boyce does well in the end to see the ball out for a goal-kick.
24mins
Salgado goes down looking for a foul. The referee doesn't give the free-kick, but luckily for the Spaniard he doesn't see it as a dive, or the Blackburn man could have received his marching orders.
23mins
Hoilett crosses into the Wigan box, but it's over-hit and out for a goal-kick.
21mins
Foul by Givet on N'Zogbia. Free-kick to Wigan.
19mins
N'Zogbia breaks into the box, but Chimbonda does well to get force him out and the danger is gone.
17mins
Thomas shoots from distance but Salgado blocks for the visitors.
16mins
Free-kick 30 yards out. Gomez takes, but it deflects away off the wall and out for a corner to Wigan.
15mins
Foul by Nelsen on Gomez as he tried to break away from the Blackburn man. He's lucky not to end up joining Salgado in the referee's book.
14mins
Salgado pulls his man back. It's a 3rd foul of the afternoon already and the referee shows him the yellow card.
13mins
After both sides almost putting into their own goal, the game has settled down and there's been little else to report.
11mins
Scharner crosses into the Blackburn box, but it's poor and drifts beyond everyone.
9mins
Almost an own goal by Samba to give Wigan the lead. He deflects the ball goalwards but Robinson gets back well to clear the ball away from goal.
5mins
Blackburn so nearly take the lead. McCarthy does well to pull the ball back across goal. Thomas sticks out a leg and diverts it beyond Kirkland, but it goes just wide of the post and the referee somehow sees it as a goal-kick.
4mins
Free-kick by N'Zogbia into the Blackburn area to the back post looking for Boyce, but it's over-hit and out for a goal-kick to Blackburn.
2mins
Positive early start from the visitors, who have been really struggling for goals in the past six games.
1mins
Robinson comes to the edge of his area to collect the ball but he doesn't allow the ball to enter the penalty area and he almost gets himself in trouble under pressure.
0mins
Wigan get this game underway.
0mins
Todays hosts do, however, have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 38 goals in their opening 17 games.
0mins
Conversely, Wigan have scored in all bar one of their last 11 games and have won every game where Hugo Rodellega has been on the score sheet.
0mins
In eight Premier League games to date, Blackburn have the edge of todays opponents, winning five and drawing two.
0mins
Despite reaching the last four of the Carling Cup, Blackburn have not won in six games and have managed only one goal in that time. They now sit just three points above the relegation zone.
0mins
The home side have hired a snow plough to ensure that the game does get lost to the weather as did Mondays postponed match against Bolton.
0mins
Blackburn are still without leading scorer David Dunn.
0mins
Wigan continue to be without Mohamed Diame, ruled out with a knee injury, but Roberto Martinez has no fresh injury concerns for todays game.
0mins
Blackburn team line-up: Robinson, Chimbonda, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Salgado, Nzonzi, Andrews, Hoilett, McCarthy, Di Santo
0mins
Wigan team line-up: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Figueroa, N'Zogbia, Scharner, Thomas, Gomez, Scotland, Rodallega
Match Preview
Wigan Athletic entertain north west rivals Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day in what should be a cracking local derby clash.
Roberto Martinez will be hoping his Latics outfit can get a win to aid their fight against the drop as they sit just two points ahead of Bolton Wanderers in the third relegation spot.
They haven't won in their last three outings, which is cause for concern, but their festive opponents are currently on a worse run of form.
Sam Allardyce, who is back in the dugout following heart surgery, will be keen to see his beleaguered troops clamber back up the league table.
They are just a point ahead of Wigan and since their excellent 2-0 away victory against Bolton on November 22 they have collected just three draws from their last six games to leave them in a precarious position in the lead up to the new year.
To make matters that bit worse, Rovers have scored just once in this time and this was courtesy of defender Ryan Nelsen's effort against Birmingham in a 2-1 defeat on December 15.
Rovers have collected just four points from a possible 27 away from Ewood Park this term and Wigan will be looking to capitalise on their poor return.
It is all set up for a tense yet explosive match-up between the outfits, who are separated by just 25 miles.
Rovers duo Pascal Chimbonda and Jason Roberts will be wanting to feature and heap misery on the Latics, who they have both featured for in the past.
Mohamed Diame is out of Wigan's Christmas and New Year campaign after injuring knee ligaments in the recent defeat against Liverpool while Blackburn midfielder Brett Emerton is nursing a groin injury and colleague David Dunn is still troubled by a calf concern.
Blackburn will be hoping to avoid a repeat performance that they served up last term at the DW Stadium.
They lost 3-0 in a game that was lost inside a disastrous opening 12 minutes.
Match Report
Benni McCarthy's first goal in 14 league appearances was not enough to earn Blackburn a first win in eight matches as Wigan clung on for a point at the DW Stadium.
McCarthy broke the deadlock on 30 minutes from close range but his opener was cancelled out by Hugo Rodallega, who powered a header past Blackburn keeper Paul Robinson.
Former England keeper Robinson was called into early action, scrambling across his line to spare Chris Samba's blushes after the Rovers defender almost put the ball in his own net.
McCarthy, linked with a move away from Ewood Park in January, then netted his first Premier League goal of the season on the half-hour mark to give Rovers the lead.
The South African forward was on hand to turn home from the edge of the six-yard box as he converted Ryan Nelsen's header on, to leave Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland stranded.
Wigan finally sprung to life on the stroke of half-time when Jason Scotland stung Robinson's palms but the hosts were much-improved after the break.
On 53 minutes, Scotland held the ball up well and fed the lively Charles N'Zogbia, who crossed for Colombia forward Rodallega to head home his seventh league goal of the season.
N'Zogbia threatened again just minutes later, again bursting through on the overlap before rifling a low left-footed shot just past Robinson's left-hand post.
With ten minutes remaining, McCarthy might have pinched the points with an acrobatic overhead kick from Samba's flick-on, but Kirkland produced an excellent reaction save to keep the scores level.
In the dying stages, Blackburn resorted to route one football but it almost paid dividends for Sam Allardyce's men as Keith Andrews shot just wide after the Wigan defence had failed to clear their lines.
And McCarthy almost latched onto another flick from Samba following Robinson's clearance as Rovers laid siege to the Latics goal but Roberto Martinez's side held firm to grind out a point.
Wigan Athletic Team
Blackburn Rovers Team
- Paul Robinson
- Christopher Samba
- Gael Givet
- Ryan Nelsen
- Michel Salgado
- Pascal Chimbonda
- Steven N'zonzi
- Keith Andrews
- David Hoilett
- Benni Mccarthy
- Franco di Santo
Wigan Athletic | Blackburn Rovers |
Corners
| 7 | 2 |
Fouls
| 10 | 20 |
Goal attempts
Shots off target
| 4 | 4 |
Offsides
| 2 | 4 |
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90mins
Gomez breaks for Wigan. He feeds Rodallega, who cuts inside and shoots, but it's deflected away for a corner.