Wigan boss Paul Cook and Middlesbrough counterpart Jonathan Woodgate both felt hard done by after a dramatic 2-2 draw at the DW Stadium.
Sam Morsy put Latics ahead but after Chey Dunkley was sent off just after the hour for a second yellow card, Lewis Wing’s brace had the visitors in the lead within six minutes.
Harold Moukoudi’s own goal 14 minutes from time then ensured the points would be shared, but both bosses were left aggrieved by decisions made by referee Oliver Langford.
Wigan forward Kieffer Moore was taken out by Moukoudi on the edge of the box on the hour mark, with Langford choosing to brandish only a yellow card, while Boro had an early goal from Ashley Fletcher chalked off for offside.
“We obviously feel aggrieved at decisions going against us when we’re 1-0 up,” said Cook, who was booked for dissent just prior to Middlesbrough’s equaliser.
“But I thought the lads showed great conviction in what they did to get a result.
“To go down to 10 men against a side like Middlesbrough, who can dominate the ball, and take a point is pleasing.”
On the decision not to send off Moukoudi, Cook continued: “I’m genuinely not going to get involved.
“You guys have watched the same game, so many decisions where you just think…
“We’re all after consistency in the game and to have that many bookings and a sending-off, and to end up with booing in the stadium and chaos, it’s not good enough. But that’s for others to sort out.”
Boro boss Woodgate was also left choose his words carefully after Fletcher’s disallowed strike.
“I don’t want to talk about the officials, I don’t want to get fined,” he said.
“But it’s a yard onside, a yard onside. I’m not going to talk about it but we should be 1-0 up and then it’s difficult for Wigan to come back.”
On the result, Woodgate added: “I thought it was a typical Championship game, end to end.
“But when Wigan took the lead I thought they sat back and we started dominating the game. We go 2-1 up, we look to be in the ascendancy, they’re down to 10 men and then we give away a freak own goal.
“I can’t knock my players, I thought there were times in the game when we looked quite slick. We need to keep that slickness but also be difficult to beat when we go in front, especially against 10 men.
“I said before the game, we wanted to win, but it was important we didn’t get beat.
“The gap (to Wigan) stays the same, it doesn’t decrease, but it is difficult to take, with the own goal.”
