Santa Cruz double secures win

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Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz scored with two headers either side of an equaliser from Marlon King and Jason Roberts was also on target on the stroke of half-time.

Rovers lost Christopher Samba to a 17th-minute red card for bringing down Emile Heskey in the incident which led to King's penalty but that only spurred them on.

Chris Kirkland was at fault for the opening goal, the first he had conceded in six hours and 26 minutes.

Kirkland parried a long-range David Bentley strike straight up in the air and Santa Cruz headed in from six yards.

The Latics won a penalty when Samba brought down Heskey with the slightest of touches as he ran through on goal. Referee Mike Dean showed the red card to the centre-back and King dispatched the spot-kick - his first for the club since joining from Watford in January.

Wigan suffered a blow when Erik Edman, in blocking Roberts' header, badly twisted his left knee and departed on a stretcher.

Things got worse in the 44th minute when Roberts latched on to Santa Cruz's header to turn his marker and fire left-footed past Kirkland.

And Santa Cruz grabbed the crucial third goal three minutes later when he stooped to head in Bentley's left-wing cross from close range.

Wigan's afternoon went from bad to worse when Palacios, who had been booked in the first half, went in late on David Dunn and was shown a second yellow and then red card.