Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic shared the spoils in an entertaining 1-1 draw that did little to further either side's European ambitions at Ewood Park tonight.
Blackburn's Finnish striker Shefki Kuqi pounced to stab home a late equaliser on 84 minutes after Steven Reid's teasing right wing cross came off the chest of Wigan goalkeeper John Filan, although Australian international Lucas Neill's crashing challenge on the keeper probably should have been penalised.
Until that point, it looked like Wigan owner Dave Whelan would make a winning return to the club he served as a player until a broken leg in the 1960 FA Cup final ended his career.
Wigan took the lead after 53 minutes when bruising striker Jason Roberts provided a touch of finesse to guide home Pascal Chimbonda's back post header with a clever flick of his heel with his back to goal.
The point stunted Blackburn's surprising Champions League push and keeps them in sixth, two points behind Tottenham in the crucial fourth place Champions League qualification spot.
Wigan's hopes of securing UEFA Cup football next season were also hit although they did leapfrog West Ham into eighth place but still six points behind Blackburn in the last UEFA Cup qualification place.
It was a game that should have had more goals but Morten Gamst Pedersen's first half goal was wrongly ruled out after Filan dropped a catch under pressure from diminutive forward Paul Dickov, who was strangely adjudged by referee Phil Dowd to have fouled the keeper.
But that was evened up later in the first period when man of the match Arjan De Zeeuw also had a goal chalked off for offside, though, replays showed he clearly wasn't.
But a draw was a fair result from an entertaining encounter from two of the surprise packages of the season who continue to justify their lofty positions with attacking and enterprising football.
