Malky Mackay has heaped praise on his Wigan Athletic players for their performance in today's big game at the bottom of the Championship against Blackpool.

Second-from-bottom Wigan travelled to the only side below them in the table and came out on top 3-1 to pull six points clear of the Tangerines.

However, they are no nearer to safety as Rotherham United edged out Millwall in the other big match between third-bottom and fourth-bottom.

"It was always going to be a tough one coming here with us both scrapping for the points," Mackay told reporters.

"There's a fighting spirit at Blackpool that we were going to have to compete with.

"It's a local derby and the pitch is quite something right now. For anybody to be calm and play football the way they did, I take my hat off. So to come away with a result like that was really pleasing."

With 12 games of the season remaining, Wigan are nine points behind 21st-placed Rotherham.