• Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United drew 2-2 in an end-to-end and physical game at the New York Stadium. 
• Latics had the better of the first half, and after Joe Hungbo had a couple of half chances, they went ahead just before half time when Ryan Trevitt’s shot was deflected into his own net by Sean Raggett.
• The Millers started well in the second half and they equalised on the hour mark when substitute Shaun McWilliams drilled home from the edge of the box.
• The hosts were in the ascendancy and went in front in the 80th minute when Reece James cut the ball back to debutant Martin Sherif who finished well from close range.
• But Latics were not to be outdone and substitute Paul Mullin headed home fellow substitute Asamoah Junior’s flicked near post header from Fraser Murray’s corner on 88 minutes.
• In added time Mullin had a great chance to seal the three points but he fired against Cameron Dawson’s legs and Morgan Fox might have won it for the visitors with a dipping effort, at the other end Sherif lifted the ball over the crossbar from eight yards out.
• Latics move up to 12th and the Millers are in 17th place in the League One table.

Ryan Lowe made five changes to his starting line-up from the midweek defeat to Luton Town with Fraser Murray, Joe Hungbo, Tyrese Francois, Christian Saydee and Dara Costelloe all returning.

Rotherham made a good start and and created some early pressure but Latics defended well.

The visitors soon got into their stride and Hungbo had a half chance at the back post from Murray’s dangerous cross on eight minutes.

Murray created another opportunity soon afterwards when his searching cross found Hungbo inside the six-yard box but the wing-back couldn’t make a firm contact and the chance went begging.

The hosts responded and a Jordan Hugill header forced a good save low down from Sam Tickle on 18 minutes.

In a physical game with many borderline decisions Referee Oliver Langford wasn’t doing Latics many favours. The Millers Liam Kelly should have received a red card for an over the ball challenge on Francois but the referee only issued a yellow.

Latics went ahead just before half-time when the excellent Murray played an incisive through ball to Trevitt whose shot was deflected into his own net by Raggett.

The visitors were deservedly ahead at the interval but the Millers started the second half strongly. Substitute Jensen Weir replaced the influential Trevitt on 52 minutes due to an injury.

Rotherham’s half-time substitutes Shaun McWilliams and Kion Etete were causing Latics problems and it was McWilliams who equalised on the hour mark when he followed up Etete’s blocked shot and lashed past Tickle from the edge of the box.

The hosts were boosted by the equaliser and they exerted more pressure which led to them taking the lead on 80 minutes. James got down the left hand side and his low cross was turned home by the Everton loanee Sherif from close range.

Lowe made changes and substitutes Mullin, Asamoah Junior and Steven Sessegnon replaced Saydee, Aimson and perhaps surprisingly substitute Weir on 84 minutes.

The visitors were soon level when Mullin headed home Asamoah Junior’s flicked header at the near post from Murray’s corner on 88 minutes.

In eight minutes of added time Mullin had a great opportunity to grab all three points when he broke clear from Asamoah Junior’s superb through ball, but the on-loan Wrexham striker could only drive the ball against keeper Dawson’s legs.

Fox then went close when he curled a dipping effort from the edge of the box which forced Dawson to scramble back and to tip over the crossbar.

In the last minute of added time Sherif had a half chance when Raggett headed the ball to him in the box but the striker lifted the ball over the crossbar and the points had to be shared.

Overview

Lowe’s men had been the better side in the first half and deservedly went ahead from Trevitt’s deflected effort but they had faded badly at the start of the second half. Admittedly Rotherham had upped their game and the substitutes had made an impact but Latics currently have a tendency to fade in the second half.

Last Saturday against Peterborough the visitors had dominated possession and Latics had conceded numerous corners in the second half. Latics had got away with it last week but this time Rotherham made them pay and if it was not for the late substitutions they might have lost the game.

Manager Lowe will rightly be worried about the team’s ball retention. The players seem to tire a little in the second half and mistakes creep into their play. It’s still early days in the season and transfer window is still open for additions to the squad, but it is something that will need addressing if they are to make progress.

On the positive side Man of the Match Fraser Murray was once again excellent. His crosses and set pieces cause all kinds of problems for defences but Latics’ forwards should be doing much better in converting the chances he creates.

Post match comments

Afterwards Ryan Lowe expressed the importance of leaving the New York Stadium with a point, although he naturally wanted all three on the afternoon. 

“I am disappointed that we didn’t take all three points,” he told the media.

“We have to give Rotherham credit, but we knew what they were doing. They made changes at half-time, and went longer, and more aggressively.

“We didn’t want to get into a fight, but we did get into a fight for 35 minutes, and that’s not our game.

“The first half, we were well capable of winning the game. 

“Two halves are never the same, but to show the reaction was pleasing. The subs coming on the pitch were fantastic, and got us a result. 

“At one point, we never had a result, so I’m really pleased with that. I am pleased with large parts of the game, but there were certain elements I wasn’t happy with.

“Losing Ryan Trevitt was a big blow for us, as he was dictating play, dragging players around, and finding little gaps. 

“We adapted towards the end, and the lads went on, showed what they can do, and we find ourselves coming away with a point.

“If you can’t win the game, you certainly don’t lose it. We came here expecting to get three points – that was our aim – but we’ve come away with a point.

“It’ll turn out to be a good point – and we’ve now got to back that up with a win, and that’ll certainly be the aim.”

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