With the joint-highest points on the road in the Championship this season, the Latics began encouragingly, as Anthony Patterson produced a magnificent save to prevent Charlie Wyke’s header from breaking the deadlock. Hoping to register only a second victory in their last seven matches, fellow newly-promoted Sunderland matched their visitors’ invigorated start, as Elliot Embleton brought an exemplary save from Patterson’s opposite number, Ben Amos.

Following a 1-0 victory over local adversaries Blackburn Rovers in midweek, the visitors found themselves in the ascendancy on the stroke of half time when WYKE scored against his former side, curling a sensational strike into the corner beyond the grasp of Patterson. Still without a recognised forward, with wingers Jack Clarke, Alex Pritchard and Patrick Roberts regularly rotated as unorthodox strikers by Tony Mowbray, Sunderland needed an unlikely hero.

Half Time; Sunderland 0-1 Wigan Athletic

The Black Cats found that unlikely hero, and were back on level terms nine minutes into the second half. After going close to scoring his first goal of the season earlier on, EMBLETON was not to be denied a second time, as the Sunderland number eight fired a sublime strike into the bottom right-hand corner past Amos. On course to continue their imposing sequence of results at the Stadium of Light, with only four defeats from their previous 10 visits, Wigan were close to restoring their lead shortly after the hour-mark, only for Patterson to divert James McClean’s strike around the post for a corner.

Moments after Patterson’s goalkeeping heroics had kept the scoreline level, Sunderland completed their sensational second-half comeback as Dennis CIRCIN headed Pritchard’s enticing cross past the helpless figure of Amos. Sunderland remained in control of the concluding stages to register their first victory in their five league matches, while Wigan suffered the unfamiliar taste of defeat after succumbing to only their third loss in 15 Championship away games.

Full Time; Sunderland 2-1 Wigan Athletic.