Wigan Athletic 3-2 Blackburn Rovers: Aynsley Pears goalkeeping error send Latics through
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FA Cup highlights: Wigan Athletic 3-2 Blackburn Rovers
An Aynsley Pears goalkeeping error helped League One Wigan Athletic knock out Championship side Blackburn Rovers to reach the FA Cup fourth round.
Blackburn took the lead through Reda Khadra's low strike but Wigan levelled when Max Power fired in from 30 yards.
The hosts led as Pears carried the ball over his own line after Jack Whatmough had headed a cross tamely goalwards.
Daniel Ayala's header levelled late on but Thelo Aasgaard curled in from range over Pears to send Wigan through.
The result means that Blackburn have now not progressed past the third-round stage of the competition since 2016-17 while the hosts sealed their place in the fourth-round draw for the first time in four seasons.
Ben Brereton-Diaz twice came close to giving Blackburn the lead just before the break, with the Chile international flagged offside having found the net from a Joe Rothwell through ball, while on the verge of the half-time whistle he forced a save from Latics keeper Jamie Jones.
Rothwell later set up Khadra - who, alongside fellow loanee Jan Paul van Hecke, was given permission by parent club Brighton to play in the tie on Friday - to drive a powerful low shot past the diving Jones.
Max Power has now scored in three consecutive games for Wigan Athletic
Power's leveller bounced past Pears, who would have hoped to have done better with the long-range effort, while Wigan almost led from a corner as Pears missed the ball before Jason Kerr headed against the bar.
But Pears' bizarre error cost Rovers, as he stepped backwards after collecting what had seemed to be a rudimentary header across goal from Whatmough as the game entered the closing stages, while Aasgaard's stunning late goal ensured it was a day to forget for the Blackburn keeper.
Wigan Athletic boss Leam Richardson told BBC Radio Manchester:
"It had everything, it was an FA Cup tie rolled into a local derby. There were yellow cards and mistakes. Everything within that, I thought we had to be respectful of Blackburn. Our lads worked hard and thankfully we had a bit of luck and went through.
"In possession we weren't great in the first half. Blackburn are a side who are set up to capitalise on mistakes and counter attack excellently well but I have to give credit to the lads, I dropped a new shape on them a few days ago to accommodate Blackburn's threats.
"Once our first goal went in, we grew into ourselves a little more and looked a threat in certain areas of the pitch."
Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"Obviously I'm disappointed but I think the narrative of the game is there for everyone to see. It was a difficult day for our goalkeeper.
"Aynsley has played two and a half league games this year and kept clean sheets in those minutes on the pitch and done very well for us. He'll be disappointed, as we all are.
"Because of Covid, I felt it was important to let the number two goalkeeper play because you never know, if Thomas Kaminski catches Covid, he [Pears] might have to play. Goalkeeper is an important position but ultimately it didn't pan out well for us."
Watch five third-round ties live across the BBC including Manchester United v Aston Villa - plus highlights from every match (UK only). Read the full details here.
