Kuqi rescues point for Blackburn

Blackburn 1 Wigan 1

However, it was just one of several controversial decisions made by referee Phil Dowd during the Premiership clash at Ewood Park.

Kuqi's seventh goal of the season, and Dowd's deliberations, overshadowed a remarkable moment of improvisation from Jason Roberts who appeared to have won the game with an inspirational 52nd-minute strike.

The balanced result, though, ending a Rovers' run of five successive wins, leaves manager Mark Hughes' side two points adrift of Tottenham in the race for the coveted fourth place.

Wigan, who boast the best away record in the Premiership outside of the top two, cannot be discounted in their bid for a European finish.

Arjan De Zeeuw stabbed home his own ricochet to a challenge in the area just before the break but a flag was up for offside against Roberts.

There was no shadow of a doubt about the opening goal, with Roberts' intuition and reactions earning their reward. From an outswinging corner from Jimmy Bullard, an unmarked Pascal Chimbonda nodded the ball into the six-yard box.

From there, and with his back to goal, Roberts beat Brad Friedel with an inspirational back-heeled volley.

Blackburn grabbed a controversial equaliser when John Filan was bundled over by Lucas Neill in collecting a cross from Steven Reid, allowing Kuqi to stab home from 10 yards.

BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Gray, Bentley (Tugay 59), Savage, Reid, Pedersen, Bellamy, Dickov (Kuqi 59).

WIGAN: Filan, Chimbonda, Scharner (Jackson 45), De Zeeuw, Baines, Teale, Bullard, Kavanagh, McCulloch, Roberts, Johansson.

Ref: P Dowd