West Brom missed the chance to return to the top of the Championship but Charlie Austin’s goal from a free-kick on the six-yard line saw them salvage a draw at Wigan.
Slaven Bilic rested attacking trio Grady Diangana, Matheus Pereira and Hal Robson-Kanu and his side were second best in the first half as the Latics constantly threatened through Josh Windass and Jamal Lowe.
The hosts eventually took a deserved, albeit fortuitous, lead when Sam Johnstone tipped a 35-yard Sam Morsy strike onto the post, only for the ball to rebound back off the Baggies keeper and in.
Michael Jacobs then hit the bar for Wigan but West Brom levelled when Austin placed the ball past 10 players on the line after goalkeeper Jamie Jones needlessly picked up a backpass.
The point means just goal difference keeps the Baggies behind leaders Leeds, who beat Hull on Tuesday, while Paul Cook’s side move to within three points of safety.
Bilic rotated some key players with half an eye on Saturday lunchtime’s West Midlands derby at Birmingham and Wigan should have capitalised, Lowe seeing a follow-up smothered by Johnstone and Windass denied a penalty when he appeared to be brought down in the box by Semi Ajayi.
The Latics themselves made seven changes from their weekend defeat by Luton – with Cook serving a touchline ban – and might have been out of sight in the second half had Gavin Massey headed either side of Johnstone after Jacobs’ strike fell to him off the woodwork.
But keeper Jones appeared to be drinking from his water bottle when he saw Kal Naismith’s backpass come towards him and unknowingly picked it up, allowing Jake Livermore to roll the resulting free-kick to Austin to score his fourth goal in four games.
Massey came closest to a winner for the Latics – Johnstone clawing away his back-post header – but they are now winless in nine, despite scoring first in their past five matches.
Wigan boss Paul Cook told BBC Radio Manchester:
“A massive step forward for us – I think the level of performance tonight was there for everyone to see and that’s the most pleasing thing for me as a manager.
“On reflection of the game I think it would’ve been fair for us to win, but we respect the point.
“West Brom are in excellent form, they’re a fantastic team and I’m sure they’ll be delighted to go away with a point because I don’t think you’ll get many gifts better than the one we gave them, that’s for sure.”
West Brom head coach Slaven Bilic told BBC WM:
“I have to admit it we were nowhere near what we were so far.
“I don’t want to accept it but at the end of the day I told the guys to be disappointed but take this as a blessing because we didn’t get big-time punished.
“We didn’t match them in the majority of the game and to be fair we have to take this point as a good one.”
