Substitute Deane Smalley's late match-winning goal enabled Latics to take another significant stride towards safety in Coca-Cola League One.

It looked as though Bristol Rovers would leave Boundary Park with a draw until Smalley's dramatic intervention in the 88th minute when two points appeared to be slipping away.
 
It was all credit to Latics who had taken the lead early in the second half through on-loan Lewis Guy only to allow the visitors to claw their way back into the game.

Latics displayed grit and determination after the setback of seeing Jo Kuffour equalise with 13 minutes left to produce a final flurry and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

It proved another nervy afternoon, but one which ultimately had a happy ending as the six points collected from back-to-back home victories against Gillingham and Bristol Rovers have been massive steps towards Latics securing their League One status.

And the battling qualities won praise from Latics manager Dave Penney who declared: "You have to give credit to the players who showed some bottle and character and stood up to the test.

"We make hard work for ourselves after allowing them to equalise and at that stage of the game you take anything you can get.

"The performance was not as good as Tuesday at Huddersfield, but we ground out a win which we will take every day of the week.

"It was important we won as had we lost the doom and gloom merchants would have come out. It was important we won with the three away games coming up."

Penney also praised Smalley for the way he has responded to being dropped from the starting line up in recent weeks.

He explained: "We have given Deane a reality check by leaving him out for a couple of games.

"I am pleased by the way he reacted as he came on in the second half and caused them problems and obviously he also scored the winning goal for us."

Latics made two changes from midweek, one enforced as Alex Marrow came in for the suspended Kieran Lee while Joe Colbeck was preferred to Dean Furman in a reshaped midfield.

The opening half proved a cagey affair against a Bristol side whose hopes of a promotion play-off place were effectively ended following this defeat.

Bristol keeper Mikkel Andersen made good saves to deny Dale Stephens and Pawel Abbott while Darryl Flahavan pulled off a decent stop to keep out a free kick from Chris Lines.

Smalley replaced Taylor, who picked up a knock in the opening period, from the restart.

Latics could not have made a better start as Guy gave Latics the lead with a sublime finish lobbing keeper Andersen after running on to a delightful cross from left-back Paul Black.

Latics ought to have added to their advantage as Abbott had two great chances, Colbeck struck an upright while Stephens fired narrowly wide.

The nagging fear was that Latics might be punished for a failure to take those chances as looked to be the case when Kuffour struck an equaliser with 13 minutes left.

Substitute Andy Williams squared the ball from the left of the box and Kuffour slotted the ball home from eight yards.

Luckily heads did not go down as substitute Tom Eaves went close with a header before Smalley finally secured victory with two minutes left.

Danny Whitaker produced a piece of magic before firing over a pinpoint cross from the left corner to the far post as Smalley rose to squeeze a header low past Andersen.

There was still one final twist as Bristol came within a whisker of snatching an equaliser in the last minute.

Kuffour jinked his way clear in the box but Flahavan raced off his line to make a fabulous block as the striker looked set to earn his side a point at the death. It was the sort of lucky break which has eluded Latics so often this season.

Latics (4-4-2): Flahavan; Marrow, Hazell, Gregan, Black; Colbeck (Eaves 76), Whitaker, Stephens, Taylor (Smalley 46); Abbott (Furman 89), Guy. Subs (not used): Brill, Aljofree, Worthington, Lomax.

Bristol Rovers (4-4-2): Andersen; Anthony, Coles, Elliott, Jones; Blizzard (Swallow 66), Campbell, Lines, Hughes; Duffy (Williams 53), Kuffour. Subs (not used): Evans, Regan, Wright, Reece, Richards.

Referee: Mr M Halsey.

Attendance: 3,769.