Rotherham United 1-2 Wigan Athletic

Pennant showed his set-piece prowess with two free-kicks to earn Wigan victory.

Wigan Athletic kept their Championship survival hopes alive as they closed the gap on Rotherham United to six points.

Jermaine Pennant curled a free-kick into the top left corner to put Wigan ahead, and then found the other corner of the net from a similar set piece.

The Millers pulled one back when Matt Derbyshire headed in from close range after excellent work from Ben Pringle.

But Wigan held on to record their fourth straight away win and move six points from safety.

Paul Green had three early chances for the hosts before Pennant struck from 20 yards after James McClean was brought down.

Pennant repeated the trick less than five minutes later after Marc-Antoine Fortune had been fouled.

The hosts were handed a lifeline on the stroke of half-time when Pringle's deep cross was headed in at the back post by Derbyshire.

And Rotherham almost grabbed a late draw when substitute Jordan Bowery's close-range header was denied by Al-Habsi's fine save.

Wigan stay 22nd, a place below Rotherham who were leapfrogged by Fulham.

Rotherham United boss Steve Evans:

"If the first one is a free-kick, we should give football up. It's embarrassing for the referee.

"It's not a free-kick. We have got the benefit of having looked at it and if people want to go diving around and getting free-kicks then Wigan are welcome to them.

"I thought in the first half we were a bit average, if I can use that expression. In the second half we were fantastic."

Wigan Athletic manager Malky Mackay:

"Jermaine Pennant's delivery on both (free-kicks) was sensational.

"It's not until you look at that and look at it again that you see exactly what he did, and how he has executed those free-kicks.

"Great credit to him for the way that he's come into the football club and shown great character, personality and humility to come in."