A great advert for League One football was the assessment of Wigan first-team coach Anthony Barry after the 2-2 draw with Rovers.

A second half comeback from the Latics saw them earn a point at Ewood Park having trailed 2-0 at the break following goals from Adam Armstrong and Elliott Bennett.

The point leaves Rovers five clear at the top of the table and six clear of the Latics who have four games in hand.

And Barry said: “It was a great advert for League One - two great clubs with two great fan bases.

“On a day where there was not much football happening the fans up and down the country should have enjoyed it.

“I thought it was an end to end game, and overall a just result.

“They got goals at important times in the first half, but our lads have showed immense character and personality to fight back.”

Two goals inside the opening 17 minutes saw Rovers open up a 2-0 lead, but a double switch from Wigan boss Paul Cook proved decisive. And Barry says there was never a lack of belief in the dressing room despite trailing at the break.

He added: “We trust our lads a lot, but when you go 2-0 down you’re always going to be concerned. Our squad is very good and we always knew we could get back in the game.

“We couldn’t really get our passing game going, while the pitch suited Blackburn’s style of play a bit more.

“We couldn’t get the ball down like we normally do, and we had to make substitutions to try and adapt. We certainly came here to win, we set up to try and hurt Blackburn.

“The two goals obviously put us on the back foot, but we obviously have to be happy with a point.”

Rovers are top with 10 games to play in the race to win promotion to the Championship. Wigan stay third, but having the advantage of their games in hand.

However, Barry said: “I think Blackburn have to still be favourites at the end of the day.

“We’ve obviously got four games in hand, and we know we’ve got the quality in the dressing room to cope.”

Of the performance, of referee Geoff Eltringham Barry added: “There were things being pulled up for fouls that perhaps shouldn’t have been, and on the flip side there were challenges that weren’t be treated harshly enough.

“These games are tough to referee, but I don’t think it spoiled the game in any way.”