Omar Bogle scored twice on his full debut

New signing Omar Bogle grabbed a second-half double as Latics fought out a 2-2 draw with play-off chasing Norwich City.

Warren Joyce’s team had produced a woeful first-half display and were a goal down at the interval after Nelson Oliveira had headed home from Alex Pritchard’s free-kick.

Striker Bogle had cut an isolated figure in the first-half with a 4-5-1 formation but Joyce changed to 4-4-2 at the interval and pushed Will Grigg up alongside Bogle and the Latics fightback commenced.

First the former Grimsby Town striker headed home from a corner and then produced a superb free-kick to put Latics in front.

Mitchell Dijks then headed Norwich level, before keeper John Ruddy produced a point- blank save to deny Jake Buxton and Latics the three points.

Latics are now five points from safety with one game in hand on Burton Albion and the Canaries remain in seventh place just outside the play-off zone.

Wigan made two changes from the team which had lost 1-0 at home to Sheffield Wednesday with Bogle replacing  Grigg and James Weir replacing David Perkins.

Joyce’s 4-5-1 formation proved ineffectual in a first-half dominated by the Canaries.

The visitors might have gone ahead when Ivo Pinto’s shot crashed against Jakob Haugaard’s crossbar in the 24th minute but Russell Martin was ruled offside when he headed in the rebound.

Norwich were enjoying the majority of possession and it was no surprise when they went ahead on 39 minutes following a period of sustained pressure. Alex Pritchard’s free-kick found Oliveira and the Portuguese international headed beyond Haugaard and into the net.

Bogle did have a rare opportunity early in the half when he avoided the offside trap, but his drive was deflected for a corner by John Ruddy.

Joyce brought Grigg on in place of Weir for the second-half and Latics immediately looked a more balanced team with a two-pronged attack.

Grigg was quickly in the action first heading wide from Max Power’s cross on 54 minutes.

Then his shot on 57 minutes was deflected off Timm Klose’s outstretched boot and Ruddy pushed the ball away for a corner.

From the resulting corner Power’s shot was goalbound but Martin was in the right place to clear it off the line.

Latics pressure was mounting and they drew level on 61 minutes when Michael Jacobs’ corner found Bogle in the six-yard box and the striker headed into the net from close range.

Six minutes later Latics were ahead when Bogle’s free-kick curled around the Norwich defensive wall and past keeper Ruddy. The Latics players and fans were jubilant and Norwich were stunned to be behind after such a dominant first-half display.

It all appeared to be going Latics way as winger Yanic Wildschut was replaced on 70 minutes after a very subdued performance against his former team.

But against the run of play Norwich drew level from a corner on 72 minutes. Pritchard’s corner was powerfully headed home by Mitchel Dijks with the Latics defence transfixed.

Cameron Jerome then broke quickly for the visitors and set up Josh Murphy, but Haugaard produced an excellent save with his legs to deny the substitute from close range.

Latics responded and on 86 minutes it looked as though they had won the game when Jacobs’ corner found Dan Burn who headed back across goal but Jake Buxton’s effort from close range was somehow saved by Ruddy.

Latics second-half performance had been in complete contrast to the first half and proved that they must adopt a more attack-minded formation if they are to have any chance of securing the points for survival.