Wigan Athletic 1 Sunderland 0
Stu Vose

There was no happy return to Lancashire for former Wigan boss Steve Bruce as his Sunderland side went down to a single Hugo Rodallega goal.

Rodallega struck 76 minutes in to settle a contest which won't live long in the memory of many. Wigan bossed the first period and although the visitors rebounded for a spell in the second, Wigan grew stronger once again as the game went on and eventually cashed in.

The home side generated the better chances throughout as they responded well following the 9-1 defeat at Tottenham but had to settle for the single goal. Meanwhile the visitors' display was for long periods indicative of their struggles away from home.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez had pledged to restore pride after his side's obliteration at Spurs. His players set about Sunderland - featuring Darren Bent after injury and the returning Michael Turner - in the early stages as they looked to make good on that promise.

Despite an early but off-target effort from Kieran Richardson, it was Martinez's Wigan who started much the brighter as Jason Scotland narrowly missed Charles N'Zogbia's cross at the back post before Paul Scharner forced a fine diving save from Marton Fulop down to his left.

Fulop was on hand to save again on 13 minutes, this time stopping a low drive from ex-Swansea man Scotland, who took advantage of Turner being off-balace to fire into the keeper's arms from just outside the box.

Despite Sunderland's initial lethargy, only a brilliant saving tackle from Emmerson Boyce prevented the visitors from taking the lead on the 20-minute mark.  Bent cleverly lifted the ball over Boyce's head to go clear on Chris Kirkland, but the ex-Luton man regained his composure to wrap his foot around the ball and negate the danger.

But Wigan - clearly motivated by Martinez's pre-match words - were soon piling forward again. Scotland should have scored when he evaded Lorik Cana's challenge and lashed N'Zogbia's low pass goalwards from 12 yards, but the forward's shot struck the base of Fulop's left-hand upright and bounced back into the path of Scharner, who blazed over.

Wigan were clearly the better side and Sunderland were saved again on the half-hour as Turner inadvertently headed on Rodallega's free-kick, forcing Fulop away to his right to tip the ball wide. That was to be the last real chance of the first half and Bruce would have been grateful to get his troops to the dressing room with the hosts well on top.

Clearly unimpressed by his side's efforts, manager Bruce dispatched the players back onto the pitch almost five minutes before the start of the second half and introduced Fraizer Campbell off the bench in place of Steed Malbranque.  Campbell joined Bent up front and Richardson moved wide right as Bruce dispensed with his 4-5-1 setup in favour of a reshaped 4-4-2.

The early signs were good as the Black Cats began to exert more pressure on the Wigan goal. Andy Reid came close with a delicious long-ranger which clipped Boyce and flew over five minutes into the half, while the winger turned provider shortly afterwards to outstrip Mario Melchiot and hang up a cross which Bent headed off-target at the far post.

Wigan's Boyce will have disappointed not to head his team into the lead just after the hour when he got a decent connection on a cross from sub Jordi Gomez, but Fulop was perfectly placed to make a routine save at close range.

Then Richardson fired over at the other end after one of a string of corners was headed out to him, while Rodallega tested Fulop from an acute angle before blazing over after turning smartly on the edge of the area.

And it was Rodellega who settled matters 14 minutes from time, racing on to a through ball, cutting past Paulo Da Silva and rolling a simple finish beyond the advancing Fulop and into the corner of the goal.

He should have made it two with time running out but took one too many touches under pressure from George McCartney and the delay allowed Fulop to get into the ideal position to stop his rising drive.

Bruce made an ambitious substitution with six minutes remaining, introducing Bolo Zenden and David Healy in place of defenders McCartney and Da Silva.

But Cana's off-target header and a deflected effort from Zenden were as close as Sunderland came in the closing stages on their way to a third consecutive away defeat.

SAFC: Fulop, Bardsley, McCartney (Healy, 84), Turner, Da Silva (Zenden, 84), Reid, Malbranque (Campbell, 46), Cana (C), Henderson, Richardson, Bent.

Subs Not Used: Ferdinand, Nosworthy, Mensah, Carson.

Booked: Turner (29), Reid (79), Bent (81).

Sent Off: None.

Wigan: Kirkland, Thomas, Scharner, Scotland (Gomez, 55), N'Zogbia, Boyce, Bramble, Rodallega, Melchiot, Diame, Figueroa.

Subs Not Used: Cho, Amaya, Koumas, Pollitt, Sinclair, McCarthy.

Booked: None.

Sent Off: None.