Wigan Athletic have recovered from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against League One promotion rivals Blackburn Rovers, keeping the gap on their rivals at six points.

The Latics conceded twice in the opening quarter of the match to Adam Armstrong and Elliot Bennett, before battling back in the second half through goals from Michael Jacobs and Max Power.

Wigan's point keeps them firmly on track for promotion back to the second tier, as they still have four games in hand to play on their opponents, while second-placed Shrewsbury Town are a point better off after playing two games more.

Blackburn had lost just once here to Wigan in 12 previous encounters, and they were off to the quickest of starts in this latest North-West showdown.

Bradley Dack played a big part in the opener, bursting forward and shaking off Sam Morsy before slipping it through for Armstrong to hammer the ball home from just inside the area.

Wigan responded well and came close through Will Grigg, who nearly got on the end of a right-sided cross and should have done better from a more central position moments later.

Those missed chances would haunt the visitors, with Bennett bending the ball into the net, but only after Dack dragged down Nathan Byrne to leave the Athletic players furious.

Both teams were committing to challenges and things did threaten to boil over, though it was Rovers who took a commanding lead into the break after Nick Powell sent a header wide from the last meaningful act of the opening 45.

Christian Walton was needed to produce a couple of saves as Blackburn looked to extend their four-match winning run, only for the visiting side to pull one back just after the hour mark.

Armstrong had given Blackburn a warning with his volleyed shot, which ended over the bar, and Jacobs went one better by hitting a rebound through a sea of bodies to change the feel of the game.

Having seen a couple of penalty shouts go against them, the Blue and Whites relinquished their lead 73 minutes in when Power's free kick went all the way through without a telling touch.

There was more frustration to come for home fans, as Powell escaped a second booking for his nudge on Bennett shortly before being taken off.

That would prove to be it in terms of chances, meaning that Wigan remain favourites to go up as champions.

BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-3-3): Raya; Nyambe, Lenihan, Mulgrew, Williams; Bennett, Smallwood, Evans (Antonsson 77'); Dack, Graham (Nuttall 76'), Armstrong (Payne 82')

WIGAN ATHLETIC (4-2-3-1): Walton; Byrne (Vaughan 56'), Dunkley, Burn, Elder; Morsy, Power; Massey (Walker 59'), Powell (Perkins 82'), Jacobs; Grigg