A superb fighting display ended with Latics running out 5-3 winners. Even a Santa Cruz hat-trick couldn't save Rovers.

The match started off quite ominously as Blackburn had the first attack, but Santa Cruz couldn't convert a David Bentley cross. The Under 21 did look a bit tired but chose to play on anyway.

The match was livened up on the ten minute mark when a beautifully weighted through ball put Denny Landzaat one on one with the Blackburn keeper. The Dutch International made no mistake as he calmly slotted the ball past the helpless Friedel.

Minutes later it was Marcus Bent who was sent through on goal after a long clearance by Bramble. The Latics centre forward took the ball brilliantly, rounded Samba and thrashed it past the Rovers stopper for 2-0.

Wigan continued to dominate the first half and saw Landzaat, Heskey, Brown and Bent all go close. It took a moment of brilliance from Ryan Taylor though to make the next breakthrough.

Heskey was being manhandled, sorry I mean man marked by Samba in the Rovers area. As the ball came in Samba blatantly handballed for a sure penalty. Mr. Clattenberg didn't see it that way though.

It was only 5 minutes earlier that he had pointed to the spot for a so called holding on to said Samba. The referee was the only person in the ground who thought it was a penalty.

Heskey got booked because he asked the ref to go and consult his linesman, but no way was he going to do that. Kirkland duly saved McCarthy's penalty and justice was done.

Any way back to the blatant penalty by Samba; not only does Clattenberg not give it, he sees Samba manhandling Heskey for ten yards, and as soon as Bruno's feet touch outside the box he blows for a free kick.

Up steps young Ryan who thunders a free kick straight across the goal line where Paul Scharner bravely sticks his head in the way and scores number three.

5 minutes from half time Heskey went in for a challenge with Samba near the half way line. Samba scrapped his studs straight down Ivanhoe's calf and went down like a sack of spuds. Everyone is thinking this is Samba's second yellow and off.

But no, the at least consistent man in black, gave the free kick to Blackburn as Heskey is stretchered off with at the time was a suspected broken ankle.

That looked like the half was over and Bruce could have a nice half time chat. Instead a moment of sheer brilliance from the very impressive Roque Santa Cruz sent a thunderbolt of a volley past the Latics keeper for the side s to go in at 3-1.

The second half saw Latics try and sit back a bit and it proved to be fatal. Santa Cruz really thought it was Christmas for his second as Emmerson Boyce nearly put into his own goal, only for Kirkland to save well but the Paraguayan was in the right place to tap in from a yard.

The already carded Bret Emerton had been trying his luck with Mark Clattenberg for a few previous challenges, the Latics fans were amazed that he and Samba were still on the pitch.

But he duly obliged to give the ref the perfect excuse, by throwing Ryan Taylor to the ground off the ball and that was his second yellow and off.

Latics must have thought that was it and proceeded to sit back. Only for another shambles in defence allowed Cruz to get his hatrick. The centre halves yet again failed to mark him as Warnock sent in a nothing cross that should have been dealt with.

This started a nervous last half hour and it was only when an excellent cross from Valencia found Bent on 66 minutes and the lead was restored.

The match was put beyond doubt in the last ten minutes as the excellent Valencia found Aghahowa running down the right wing, he unselfishly squared the ball to Bent who poked in to the empty net to give him his hat-trick and a much needed win for Latics.

Report by Jason Taylor (www.cockneylatic.co.uk)