Leeds United 0-2 Wigan Athletic

James McClean's goal was his sixth of the season

Wigan earned a vital win against fellow Championship strugglers Leeds United but remain in the relegation zone.

A Liam Cooper own goal and a fine James McClean effort sealed the Latics' win.

McLean's cross was knocked past his own keeper by Cooper before Billy Sharp forced a save from Scott Carson, who later denied Giuseppe Bellusci.

Leeds' Sam Byram somehow scooped over the bar from a yard before McLean sealed victory with 10 minutes to go with a fierce effort from close range.

The hosts started the better of the two sides but Wigan took the lead with their first attack.

McClean went down the left-hand side and an unsuspecting Cooper turned the Republic of Ireland international's cross into his own net.

Leeds' Mirco Antenucci was seeing plenty of the ball down the left, and Sharp's header from one of his deliveries was flicked over by Carson.

Marc-Antoine Fortune almost doubled the lead just before the break but was denied by the legs of Marco Silvestri.

Antenucci fired wide before Bellusci had a shot tipped over by an increasingly busy Carson.

Wigan were looking dangerous on the counter attack and a McClean shot was parried by Silvestri and helped away by Bellusci.

Ivan Ramis did likewise at the other end as Steve Morison tried to play in Sharp, with the substitute then seeing a header tipped over well by Carson.

Leeds knew it was not their day when Byram somehow scooped over the bar from a yard and then McClean, who had just tested Silvestri with a low strike, made it 2-0.

Wigan boss Malky Mackay: "Any time you come to Elland Road, with the atmosphere here and the size of the club, and come away with a win is really pleasing.

"We've been playing okay, we've lost to single-goal margins with individual errors. Today one of the big differences was we made the correct decisions on most occasions."

Leeds manager Neil Redfearn: "The first goal is a mistake, and how many times have we said that after being in a good position?

"That gives Wigan a bit of impetus and something to defend, and they defended well. I think had we got it back to 1-1 we would have gone on to win the game."