We let Burton off the hook - Caldwell

Latics remain three points clear at the top of League One with three games to go - and crucially in control of their own destiny.

But having taken the lead through Michael Jacobs’ early goal, Caldwell was unhappy to see his men pegged back by Tom Naylor’s headed equaliser 10 minutes before half-time.

“I thought we started really brightly, on the front foot, scored a goal, and the only frustration was we didn’t control the game at that point,” the Latics manager said.

“We let Burton off the hook, and again conceded a poor goal from a set-piece.

“I thought we looked sharp early on, it was a real high-tempo game, but we looked bright and caused them problems.

“We didn’t capitalise on that spell - and that was frustrating.”

That said, Caldwell and Latics will take the status quo being maintained at the top with another big game chalked off.

“It was a difficult game, and everything you’d expect from the two teams at the top of the league,” Caldwell acknowledged.

“It was a great effort and great commitment from both teams, and a draw was probably a fair result at the end.

“There was a lot of playing in the middle third, a lot of fouls - and I thought the referee was poor.

“It was a stop-start game and we couldn’t get into any sort of rhythm in the second half.

“It was a positive result after a defeat (at Doncaster) on Saturday, and we just want to get back to winning ways.”

Burton boss Nigel Clough felt his men edged the 90 minutes, albeit lacking the necessary quality in the final third required to secure a first win in six.

“We were magnificent all the way through, from start to finish,” reckoned the Burton manager.

“We were very, very unlucky to go 1-0 down but, once again, the response was excellent.

“We deserved the equaliser, and then all second half we could’ve got a goal at any time, and we’d have deserved it the way we went about it.

“I didn’t see too much action down at (goalkeeper) Jon McLaughlin’s end in that second half.

“Once again, you’re just waiting for something to drop for us in the penalty area or just that little bit quality.

“But we were very close to it on occasions.”