Ryan Lowe bemoans Wigan Athletic's lack of 'killer' instinct after Rotherham United draw

Latics dominated the opening 45 minutes at the New York Stadium, and led thanks to a Ryan Trevitt's 42nd-minute shot, which found the net via home goalkeeper Cameron Dawson and defender Sean Raggett.

However, the loss of Trevitt to injury eight minutes into the second period – shortly after he almost laid on a second goal for Callum Wright with a clever pull-back – saw Latics surrender their grip on the game.

And goals from half-time substitute Shaun McWilliams and Martin Sherif put them in charge heading into the closing stages.

Latics boss Lowe went all in with six minutes to go, sending on strike duo Maleace Asamoah Jnr and Mullin, along with Steven Sessegnon.

And it paid dividends when Asamoah Jnr flicked on a Fraser Murray corner into the path of Mullin, who nodded home from two yards with two minutes to go.

Indeed, Latics almost forced a stoppage-time winner when Asamoah Jnr again teed up Mullin, who was denied by the legs of Rotherham custodian Dawson, and the points were shared.

"It was a game of two halves really wasn't it," acknowledged Lowe. "I thought we were excellent in the first half, everything we asked the players to do, they went out and did.

"We kept the ball well, in good areas, created some good chances, got 12 or 14 crosses into the box.

"Could we have scored more goals in that first half while we were on top? Yeah.

"In the second half, I thought we were second best for large parts, they made two changes at half-time, went more aggressive and more direct, and got after us a little bit more.

"We struggled with that, but that's on us, because we were letting balls bounce, we weren't getting the first contact, we weren't getting the second contact, which we were in the first half.

"Look, we're happy to take a point, because we were behind with two minutes left and weren't getting anything.

"But when you take the lead at places like this, and you're playing well, you've got to go on and get that second and even third goal, to kill it off.

"Listen, it wasn’t for the lack of trying, the lads gave it everything. But there were elements of that game where we need to be better."

After Latics had edged the first half, and deservedly led through Trevitt, the game burst into life in the second stanza.

Rotherham levelled on the hour mark when McWilliams fired home from the edge of the box via an unfortunate deflection off Jason Kerr, after Morgan Fox had produced a fabulous block to deny Kion Etete.

And what had been coming finally arrived 10 minutes from time when former Latics defender Reece James teed up Sherif, who had been denied by the brilliance of Tickle moments earlier.

However, a triple substitution from Lowe saw the visitors end with a flourish, with Mullin levelling and then coming so close to a dramatic winner in added time.