Wayne Rooney had not managed a league victory since 13 December, when he led Birmingham City to a 1-0 win at Cardiff City
Wayne Rooney got a first Championship win as Plymouth Argyle head coach as his side dramatically beat Sunderland thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Joe Edwards.
Sunderland took an early lead when Patrick Roberts sent keeper Dan Grimshaw the wrong way from the penalty spot, before having a free-kick palmed onto the bar.
Argyle were much-improved after the break and levelled when Morgan Whittaker's volley came bacjkoff the underside of the crossbar and went in off Sunderland defender Dan Ballard's thigh.
Plymouth could have gone ahead when Ibrahim Cissoko curled an effort against the bar midway through the second half, before Ryan Hardie did give them the lead from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Ballard.
But just as Argyle fans began to think about celebrating a first win under Rooney, Romaine Mundle found the bottom corner with four minutes to go.
However, captain Edwards reacted quickest to an Anthony Patterson save and he coolly slotted home in the third additional minute.
It moved the Pilgrims out of the relegation places in the early Championship table, while Sunderland stay top, but missed out on a club-record fifth win to start the season.
Joe Edwards scored for the first time since his crucial winner against Hull City on the final day of last season
Sunderland controlled the first half but took the lead via a harsh-looking penalty as referee John Brooks felt Bali Mumba was adjudged to have shoved Chris Rigg in the box, and Roberts calmly converted.
It could have been worse for Argyle five minutes later when Grimshaw misjudged Roberts' floated free-kick but managed to push it onto the crossbar before it was cleared by his teammates.
Soon afterwards, Darko Gyabi missed a good chance to equalise when Callum Wright's cross deflected into the midfielder's path but he blazed over the bar.
Argyle had Lewis Gibson to thank as he cleared Mundle's shot off the line soon after as the Black Cats dominated the opening period.
Adam Randell's long-range strike forced a good save from Patterson early in the second half before the Pilgrims equalised soon after.
Whittaker smashed a left-footed effort after Callum Wright's show was blocked and Patterson touched it onto the bar before Ballard deflected it over the line.
The goal lifted the hosts' spirits and Edwards volleyed wide, and debutant Rami Al Hajj fired past the post before Cissoko hit the woodwork.
But they got the goal their play deserved when Hardie converted from 12 yards after he was fouled by Ballard.
But Regis Le Bris' side did not give up and the impressive Mundle picked the ball up after having a shot saved and coolly shot low through a crowd of players and into the bottom corner.
However, as they appeared to be embarking on the longest trip home in the second tier with a point, Edwards - who scored the goal that kept Argyle up last season - netted another important goal.
Defender Kornel Szucs' fierce shot was parried away by Patterson and Edwards was there to convert.
Plymouth Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney told BBC Radio Devon:
"I'm obviously delighted with the three points. I felt we ended the first half better, we gave the ball away and were a bit sloppy at times early on and then they take the lead through a penalty.
"I felt then we started getting back into the game and getting a bit of control back.
"I said to them at half-time: 'If you up the energy, get in good areas and get the ball in the box and get your shots off we'll test the goalkeeper, test the defence and win the game' - I really did feel we would win the game.
"They've gone out and they did exactly what I asked - they upped the energy, they upped the ball speed, put crosses in there and we got the rewards.
"I'm pleased for the lads because I think they deserved that today."
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle:
"We scored twice and away - it's never easy to score and we did it.
"But even during the first half when we thought we controlled the game, there was something in behind that we were not in our best shape today and we conceded to make it 2-2 and we had the strength to come back.
"So we can say that was a good part at the end of the game, but at the end we conceded that third goal, so for us we are disappointed.
"But we know that it's a process, it's still a young team, it's still a team who need to learn and today it was a new experience."
