Norwich City have missed the chance to move into the Championship playoff places having been held to a 2-2 draw by struggling Wigan Athletic this evening.
Nelson Oliveira gave the visitors the lead at the DW Stadium before the January arrivals stole the show, with a quickfire Omar Bogle brace turning the game on its head before Mitchell Dijks rescued a point for Alex Neil's side.
Bogle could have opened the scoring after just 13 minutes when he beat the offside trap to latch on to a Callum Connolly through-ball, but John Ruddy was equal to the resulting effort.
Norwich, who were bidding for back-to-back Championship away wins for the first time this season, came within inches of taking the lead after 25 minutes when Jonny Howson's deflected effort crashed against the crossbar, before Russell Martin nodded home the rebound from an offside position.
Yanic Wildschut was making a swift return to the DW Stadium having left Wigan for Norwich on deadline day, and he almost came back to haunt his former club with seven minutes remaining until half time when he steered his volley wide of the target.
The opening goal did arrive for the visitors shortly afterwards, though, as Alex Pritchard's free kick found Oliveira, who sent a looping header into the corner.
The hosts brought Will Grigg on at half time in an attempt to get back into the match, and the move almost paid dividends within minutes of the restart when he planted a header from Max Power's cross narrowly wide.
That chance sparked Wigan into life, though, and they continued the pressure with two chances in quick succession when Grigg was denied by Ruddy before Martin needed to be in the right place to nod Power's effort off the line.
Wigan's pressure finally told shortly after the hour mark when they levelled things up through Bogle, who opened his account for the club on his first start with a fine header to convert Michael Jacobs's corner at the far post.
Bogle's full debut quickly looked like turning into a dream when he doubled his personal tally five minutes later to give Wigan the lead, firing a free kick over the wall and past a statuesque Ruddy in the Norwich goal - the first time Wigan have ever managed to score twice in a league game against the Canaries.
The Latics' lead lasted just five minutes before Norwich equalised, though, with Dijks also opening his account for the club when he nodded home Pritchard's corner.
Both sides went pushing for a winner that would have been a huge boost to their respective targets at either end of the table, but the goalkeepers kept things level, with Ruddy first tipping a Sam Morsy effort over the bar before Jakob Haugaard denied Josh Murphy with a fine save from point-blank range.
Wigan's final chance to snatch all three points fell to Jake Buxton in the 86th minute after Norwich had failed to clear their lines from a corner, but his shot was blocked.
That missed opportunity could have cost the Latics when Norwich were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position shortly afterwards, but Oliveira fired his effort narrowly over the bar as both sides were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.
The result leaves Wigan five points from safety in the Championship, while Norwich are now two points adrift of sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday having played a game more than the Owls.
Barney Corkhill
