TONY Mowbray cut a frustrated figure as Rovers were pegged back by Wigan Athletic at Ewood Park.

Mowbray felt his side 'shot themselves in the foot' after letting a 2-0 half-time lead slip following goals from Adam Armstrong and Elliott Bennett.

But second-half strikes from Will Grigg and Max Power allowed the Latics to haul themselves level in a terrific top of the table clash.

“We let the game slip through our fingers,” Mowbray said.

“We went from being in control, scoring two fantastic goals, dominating the game.

“Sometimes you can dominate the game without the ball.

“I think we’re two different teams, they are a possession-based teams whereas we’re a transition, power and counter-attacking team.

“That came out on top first half and I don’t necessarily think their possession came out on top in the second half I just thought we shot ourselves in the foot with the goals we conceded which is something we have to tidy up.”

Rovers scored two terrific goals, with Bradley Dack at the heart of both. But Mowbray praised the response of the visitors who are also eyeing a quick return to the Championship.

He added: “The players are very focussed and are driving this team.

“We spoke at half-time to make sure that we didn’t sit on our laurels, sit back and invite pressure from a decent team.

“We started the second half well, in an ideal world you get that third goal and the game is finished.

“It didn’t happen for us.

“Let’s give them some credit, they’re a good football team with some good players. We tried not to give them too much credit before the game but after the game I think they have some good footballers.

“It feels like a defeat but we have to take the confidence from the fact that we more than matched Wigan and it’s a race to see who is going to finish in the top two spaces.

“Hopefully our quality can win us enough points to finish top.”

On Max Power's equaliser, he added: “It’s a good ball in to a good area, I thought initially Elliott (Bennett) had missed it but it actually went over his head and dipped right on the six yard box.

“My grievance is that the defenders weren’t there to make first contact on set plays against, someone should have been putting their boot on that and clearing it.

“Everyone is probably marking their man, stopping them making contact and it goes straight in to the net.

“Someone should have had the instinct to get their boot on it and clear it but it’s done now, let’s not criticise the team, they worked really hard and showed how much they cared about what we’re trying to achieve this season.

“Let’s keep going, next week is another big game.”