Report by John Patrick Heeley

Wigan keeper Roy Carroll got his marching orders with little over ten minutes remaining after throwing the ball in at referee Trevor Parkes leaving Latics to play the remainder of the game with only ten men.

The game between the sides in third and fourth place in Division Two was end to end stuff throughout and both sides were unlucky not to have scored earlier.

It was keeper Carroll who was on hand to deny Rotherham early on as the home side began the game on the attack with a three-pronged forward line, hoping to continue their recent form which has seen them climb up to 4th in the table and manager Ronnie Moore receive the Manager of the Month Award for October.

Alan Lee, on loan from Burnley, went close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute but Carroll was in fine form to save one handed.

Former Latics star Paul Warne was thwarted by his old team mate when Carroll, who was attempting to beat the club record of 4 consecutive clean sheets, saved at full stretch.

After 20 minutes midfielder Ian Kilford should have put Wigan in the lead but saw his effort come off the post.

HALF TIME: Rotherham 0 Wigan 0

Manager Bruce Rioch made a change at half time swapping Lee Ashcroft for Kevin Nicholls.

Rotherham started the second half brightly and had early chances through former Manchester United star Mark Robins and Kevin Watson.

The Wigan defence stood up superbly to the Rotherham onslaught and soaked up most of what The Millers threw at them. In particular, Arjan de Zeeuw was again in fine form and was a rock in the centre.

On the hour mark Andy Liddell went agonisingly close to breaking the dead-lock after little Brian McLaughlin's cross from the left was met by Neil Roberts who laid the ball to Liddell his shot looped over Rotherham keeper Pettinger but rattled the cross bar leaving the travelling Wigan fans behind that goal clutching their heads in their hands in disbelief.

Rotherham wasted another opportunity when Robins got his head on the end of an Alan Lee cross but saw his effort sail wide of the mark.

Wigan finally got their nose in front on 76 minutes after Pat McGibbon had slotted a free kick down the right wing to Neil Roberts who raced down the line and put in a superb, teasing ball into the middle of Rotherham's area.

Centre-half GARETH GRIFFITHS raced in and thundered a header into the back of the net leaving Pettinger with no chance.

Latics' celebrations were shortlived as Rotherham scored, controversially, 4 minutes later.

Wigan were still fuming after referee Parkes had ignored their appeals for a foul on Neil Roberts when the Birmingham official awarded the home side a free kick just outside Wigan's penalty area.

Rotherham tried to take a quick free kick which came to nothing but the referee adjudged that Liddell had not gone back the full ten yards and booked the Wigan striker for his sins.

The Wigan players argued over this decision and referee Parkes moved the free kick forward ten yards, deep inside the Wigan penalty area.

The second free kick was taken by Kevin Watson but his shot bounced off the Wigan wall, Alan Lee nodded the ball down and MARK ROBINS was there to tap the ball in from close range.

The action didn't finish there, however. Roy Carroll picked the ball out of the net and, in disgust at the referee's decision for the free-kick, threw the ball at the referee.

The ball missed the official but earned the Northern Ireland keeper an early bath.

Neil Roberts was sacrificed to bring on Derek Stillie in goal and the replacement keeper did well to block an effort from Robins with the seconds ticking away.

The result streches Wigan's unbeaten run to twelve and Rotherham's to seven, keeping them in 3rd and 4th respectively.

Wigan must now look forward to Tuesday night and the visit of 5th place Millwall. A match that is sure to be full of fireworks.