Kalinic sinks Wigan

NIKOLA KALINIC shrugged off his Carling Cup disappointment by scoring a Lancashire derby winner to ease Blackburn’s relegation worries.

Kalinic scored twice in Rovers’ semi-final second-leg showdown at Aston Villa only to end up on the wrong end of the 6-4 scoreline.

But after the Latics’ Gary Caldwell had cancelled out a stunning strike from Morten Gamst Pedersen, Kalinic popped up 14 minutes from time with his sixth goal of the season, and first in the Premier League since his summer move from Hajduk Split.

The result means Sam Allardyce’s side, who yesterday signed Turkey midfielder Yildiray Basturk from Stuttgart, are now up to 11th and seven points clear of the drop zone.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez made five changes to his side from Saturday’s face-saving 2-2 FA Cup fourth-round draw at Notts County.

In the 20th minute, the often uncertain and hesitant-looking keeper Vladimir Stojkovic was at fault for the opener. The on-loan Serbian opted to race 15 yards off his line and attempt to punch clear a deep free-kick.

His effort barely mustered seven yards in distance, and he was duly punished as Pedersen thumped a screaming left-foot half-volley into an unguarded net from 20 yards.

Eight minutes after the break, though, the Latics were back on level terms courtesy of a rare strike from centre-back Caldwell, his first for the club since his move from Celtic.

Caldwell seemed to be all over the back of former Latics right-back Pascal Chimbonda as he stooped to head home Irishman James McCarthy’s corner from three yards, but referee Lee Mason saw no infringement. But Kalinic dived low onto Pedersen’s delivery to head home from five yards for a 76th minute winner.

BLACKBURN: Robinson, Chimbonda, Nelsen, Givet, Olsson, Emerton, Nzonzi, Hoilett (Reid 54), Pedersen, Diouf (Di Santo 77), Kalinic (Roberts 77).

WIGAN: Stojkovic, Melchiot (Boyce 76), Caldwell, Bramble, Figueroa, Thomas (Scotland 85), Diame, N’Zogbia, Scharner, McCarthy (Sinclair 86), Rodallega.

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)