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Wigan Athletic 1-0 Sunderland
Match Reports, 17:14, November 28, 2009 ,
Hugo Rodallega's second half effort secured Wigan a vital 1-0 win against Sunderland at the DW Stadium.
The Latics went into the game on the back of last week's 9-1 shambles at Tottenham and they put on a much-improved performance and got the three points they deserved to move up to 17th place on 17 points.
Sunderland improved after the break but could not find a way through a much more organised Wigan defence and they stay eighth on 20 points.
Wigan gradually came into the contest and went close on seven minutes when Paul Scharner had a low strike well saved by Sunderland keeper Marton Fulop.
Wigan remained the better team and went even closer on 26 minutes when Charles N'Zogbia played in Jason Scotland 12 yards out and the big striker's effort came back off the post, before Scharner smacked the rebound high over the bar.
Fulop reserved his best save for the 29th-minute to deny Black Cats' defender Michael Turner's misguided header from a Wigan free-kick flying into the top corner of his own net.
Sunderland looked more positive early in the second half with Reid's 30-yard effort deflecting inches over the bar on 50 minutes, before Darren Bent headed just wide from Reid's cross four minutes later.
Wigan responded with Emmerson Boyce seeing a header from a free kick end up in the hands of Fulop on 61 minutes.
The only goal of the game came on 76 minutes when Rodallega got past Paulo Da Silva before finishing past Fulop.
Both sides pressed in the final 14 minutes but neither could add to the tally as Roberto Martinez's men took the maximum points.