MACKAY GETS CLEAN AWAY

BLACKBURN boss Gary Bowyer reckons Wigan saviour James McClean was lucky to still be on the pitch for his leveller.

After taking the lead through Corry Evans, Rovers were pegged back when McClean netted just after the hour following a marvellous free-kick delivery from Shaun Maloney.

But McClean’s first-half lunge on Marcus Olsson was punished only by a yellow card from referee Mike Jones.

And the visitors’ mood was hardly helped when Jordan Rhodes saw a late shot cleared from the line by Leon Barnett when a goal seemed inevitable.

Bowyer groaned: “When the ball dropped to Jordan everybody expected to see it hit the net. Their lad got back and produced an unbelievable clearance. Fair play, he didn’t give up on it.

“But we’re a little bit disappointed we haven’t picked up all three points.

“That disappointment is magnified by the fact their goalscorer shouldn’t be on the pitch following the challenge he produced in the first half.

“The referee is from the Premier League and I see those challenges being given as red cards left, right and centre. It must be different rules in the Championship. I think the foul itself broke the long-jump record.”

Latics chief Malky Mackay said: “Gary was stood next to me 70 yards away – maybe he has bionic glasses. I thought the referee handled it well.”