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BLACKBURN Rovers lead Wigan Athletic 2-1 at half-time but they are down to 10-men after Chris Samba was sent off for denying Emile Heskey a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Samba brought down the England striker when he was through on goal following a mistake by Andre Ooijer in the 16th minute, leaving referee Mike Dean with little option other than to issue a red card and award the Latics a penalty.
Marlon King then stepped forward to beat Brad Friedel from the spot, which cancelled out Roque Santa Cruz's 11th minute opener.
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However, Rovers then struck back through Jason Roberts, who scored against his old club just before the interval.
Rovers had started brightly, forcing the visitors onto the back foot from the off as they adapted quicker to the windy conditions.
David Bentley forced an early save out of Chris Kirkland following good work from David Dunn.
Then in the 11th minute, Bentley cleverly turned a defender before unleashing a dipping drive that Kirkland could only parry, and Santa Cruz nipped in to head home the rebound from close range.
However, that lead lasted barely five minutes before Wigan were back on level terms.
Ooijer's back-header sent Heskey galloping clear and the striker was promptly hauled down in the area by Samba, who was desperately trying to make up ground behind him.
Despite being a man down, Rovers still looked the more dangerous side going forwards, as Santa Cruz forced a sharp save out of Kirkland, and a Bentley free kick thudded against the post.
Rovers then grabbed the lead on the stroke of half-time when Santa Cruz flicked a ball onto Roberts and the former Wigan man wrong-footed a defender before stroking a low shot under Kirkland.
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