Sunderland 2-1 Wigan Athletic: Dennis Cirkin scores winner for Black Cats

Dennis Cirkin (left) scored Sunderland's winner

Second-half goals from Elliot Embleton and Dennis Cirkin saw Sunderland come from behind to beat Wigan at the Stadium of Light.

Charlie Wyke had given Wigan the lead on the stroke of half-time, scoring his second goal since suffering a cardiac arrest last year.

Embleton equalised for the home side, before Cirkin scored the winner with 18 minutes remaining.

The Black Cats move up to ninth, with Wigan dropping down to 13th in the Championship.

Sunderland thought they had the lead in the 34th minute but Patrick Robert's effort was ruled out for offside.

Wigan took the lead on the stroke of half-time, with Wyke curling a stunning strike into the top corner from James McClean's left-wing cross.

The home side were level on 54 minutes, with Embleton sweeping home from Cirkin's cut-back.

Cirkin went from provider to goalscorer, heading home at the back post from Alex Pritchard's quickly taken free-kick.

The Latics pushed for an equaliser, with their best chance falling to Will Keane, but he could only steer his header over the crossbar and Sunderland held on to claim all three points.

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Newcastle:

"I don't want to sit here every week about officials but it seems to me that a lot of teams come here with a gameplan to quieten the crowd and slow the game down.

"When you play for a big club with a huge support teams will come and try to slow the game down and you just want a bit of help from the officials to hurry it up really early on.

"We talked at half-time about quickening it up and playing everything faster. I'm not interested in the possession stats, it's how many shots and how many efforts at goal we have.

"You get more playing behind their midfield, not in front of them and we did that second half, scored a couple of goals and we looked a threat."

Wigan manager Leam Richardson:

"First half we were very competitive and always looked a threat.

"We didn't then deal with their second-half threat, they've got some very good players.

"We didn't manage those moments, the goals come from our own goal kick and then a quick free-kick.

"In the second half we were nowhere near as good on the ball, but we did look a threat late on."