BLACKBURN Rovers moved out of the Championship relegation zone with a 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic at Ewood Park

Marvin Emnes’ strike, his first September, just before the hour handed Rovers a second successive 1-0 win, and clean sheet, to move them out of the bottom three.

It made it seven points from a possible nine under new head coach Tony Mowbray in their battle against the drop.

Rovers started on the front foot and forced the first save of the game within the opening minute.  Craig Conway’s cross from the left found its way to Liam Feeney on the edge of the box, with his struck effort forcing a smart save down low from Matt Gilks.

An injury to Wigan midfielder Shaun MacDonald, which came after a foul on Sam Gallagher, forced a lengthy stoppage, with MacDonald stretchered off and replaced by Max Power.

The game re-started with Rovers again seeing plenty of the ball, with Wigan happy to sit with everyone bar Omar Bogle behind the ball.

Their 4-1-4-1 system was denying Rovers space, and it almost played to their advantage in the 21st minute.  Sam Gallagher dropped deep to collect the ball but his pass was intercepted by Michael Jacobs.  He carried the ball all of 50 yards, but dragged his shot from the edge of the box wide of the post.

Marvin Emnes, without a goal since September, had a chance to break his duck in the 23rd minute, his effort was well blocked, before Jason Lowe fired over, after good work down the left from Derrick Williams.

Emnes then turned provider as he slipped in Sam Gallagher three minutes later.  The striker had the legs on the Wigan defence, but could only fire wide of the far post on his left foot.

A game of few chances was becoming more even as the half hour mark passed with Emnes seeing another shot blocked, before Bogle saw a weak effort easily saved by Steele as Wigan tried to counter.

Rovers were working some nice positions out wide, but failing to find the targets with their crosses, with Jake Buxton and Dan Burn meeting everything that was swung in to the Wigan box.

Moments before the break, Wigan came close to taking a surprise lead.  Bogle teed up Sam Morsy on the edge of the box, and his shot cannoned off Darragh Lenihan and just wide of the post with Steele beaten.

Rovers were indebted to some good Charlie Mulgrew defending at the start of the second half to preserve their clean sheet.  Michael Jacobs and Stephen Warnock linked up well down the left and found Bogle who tried to roll Mulgrew before getting a shot off, but the Scottish defender was in to block well.

A succession of Rovers corners offered hope early in the second half, as Lenihan saw a header deflected behind from Mulgrew’s in-swinging delivery.

They were to make a double change in the 57th minute, as Connor Mahoney and Danny Graham were both sent on, and within a minute they were to take the lead.  Emnes had switched out wide to the left, and it was from there that he cut in and fired a shot inside Matt Gilks’ near post.

Mahoney then went close to making it 2-0 as he curled an effort from the right edge of the box just wide of the far post after good work from fellow sub Graham.

The subs had really added something to Rovers, and their third change, Elliott Bennett went close in the 66th minute.  He won possession around 30 yards from goal and drove in to the box, only to see his effort go just wide of the far post with Gilks rooted to the spot.

Wigan began to build a bit of pressure as the game ticked in to the final quarter, with Bogle seeing a free-kick deflected over, while Connolly fired a right-wing corner.

With the players they had on the pitch, Rovers were always likely to push for a second.  It almost came with 16 minutes left as after doing so well to get in to the box, Mahoney fired over from around 15 yards out.

Wigan were pressing more than they had at any stage in the match however, with Dan Burn glancing wide a Jamie Hanson right-wing corner.

Burn was then to the rescue at the other to put in a great block to keep out Graham, just when the striker look to be in the clear.

There was plenty of nervy moments for Rovers at the bar, as Wigan pressed, though Mulgrew did go close to extending the lead with a late free-kick.