'The most blatant offside you will ever see' - Richie Wellens angry with officials following Doncaster Rovers' defeat to Wigan Athletic

Wellens asked his team to sit back in an attempt to contain the in-form Latics and praised his players’ efforts at the DW Stadium despite the result.

But Rovers’ boss was far from happy with referee Tom Nield and his two assistants’ decision-making – claiming Will Keane’s winning goal was ‘blatantly offside’.

"We set up with a mid-block to try and frustrate them,” said Wellens, whose side went ahead through Tommy Rowe’s 22nd minute strike.

"It's not the game plan we want to do long term but with the fitness of our players – Jordy Hiwula and Joe Dodoo especially – we tried to stop their two centre midfield players getting on the ball.

"We did that to a T, we frustrated them, we go 1-0 up and then the referee gave a pathetic freekick which they score from.

"I'm proud of my players today because I thought they were very good. The only disappointing thing was set plays defensively was really poor.

"The second goal gives them a leg up and changes the way we have to think.

"I'm here fighting for my life and you get officials that cannot see the most blatant offside you will ever see.

"I feel like I've run over another black cat today.

"I'll get fined if I go over the top when I'm talking to the officials but they won't get fined for their performance.

"He’s booked people, but for what? And then Max Power goes and straight leg’s somebody and that’s the same booking as when we flick out and tap somebody.

"We’ll stop talking about the referee, though, and I’ll praise my players because I thought we lost last week at Rotherham and there’s a way to lose.

"It was not acceptable, we went down with a whimper against ten men in the end. We didn’t lose in the right way. Today we went right to the very end.”