Wigan Athletic 3-2 Rotherham United
- Published
Nick Powell returned as a substitute, after three months out with hamstring trouble, to score a dramatic winner
Nick Powell kept Wigan's slim survival hopes alive with a stoppage-time winner against already-relegated Rotherham.
Danny Ward's cool finish put the Millers ahead but Gabriel Obertan levelled within five minutes, smashing home from Ryan Colclough's knock-down.
Anthony Forde put the Millers back in front from long range, but soon after Alex Gilbey turned home Obertan's pass.
Powell fired in a free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box six minutes into stoppage time.
Wigan had failed to score in their previous four home matches, and 13 of their 20 league matches at the DW Stadium this season, as the Championship's two lowest scorers went head-to-head.
But both sides carved out plenty of chances, with Rotherham's leading scorer Ward missing an empty net from a tight angle, and Joe Newell firing weakly at Jakob Haugaard, who also kept out Carlton Morris' curling shot.
Gilbey forced Lewis Price into a fine diving save late on as Rotherham looked to have earned only their second away point of the season.
But substitute Powell came off the bench after a three-month injury lay-off to give interim manager Graham Barrow his first win in his fourth game in charge.
Second-bottom Wigan stayed seven points behind fourth-bottom Bristol City, who beat Wolves, with the rock-bottom Millers 20 point adrift of the Latics.
Wigan interim boss Graham Barrow: "I try and keep my emotions under control, but it's a good win for the club and it keeps things alive.
"I didn't think we were ever going to lose the game, although I suppose it was a looking a bit tight as to whether we were going to win it.
"The players responded very well in very difficult circumstances, and they showed a lot more character than they've done in previous performances."
Rotherham boss Paul Warne: "I'm biased, of course but my team didn't deserve to lose, so to come away with a defeat in such circumstances is hard to take.
"I can take pride that my team stood toe-to-toe in such a game. We've been on a terrible run, but I think we've lost 10 games by one goal and six by two.
"It's not like the lads are getting embarrassed - they're giving me everything they've got."