Flying Dennis is in like Quinn for a happy ending
DENNIS CIRKIN netted his first-ever senior goal with a diving header the watching Niall Quinn would have been proud to have scored.
The Black Cats legend was back at the Stadium of Light to mark the 20th anniversary of his last appearance for the club.
But it was another former Sunderland striker, Charlie Wyke, who looked on course for a happier return when he broke the deadlock just before halftime with his second goal since returning to the
Wigan side after suffering a cardiac arrest last year.
Elliot Embleton’s 54th-minute equaliser gave Tony Mowbray’s men the momentum and 18 minutes later, Cirkin flung himself at Alex Pritchard’s cross to head home at the far post.
“My players felt really comfortable in the first half and their goal was a real shock to the system,” said Mowbray.
“It shook them up. We talked about quickening things up after the break and we managed to pull that off with a couple of good goals.
“It’s a great result against a team with such a great away record.”
Mowbray must have been tempted to shout up to Quinn in the directors’ box to get stripped as the Black Cats huffed and puffed in the opening period.
It had all started so promisingly with Patrick Roberts weaving his way into the area before firing inches wide.
But without a focal point the Black Cats struggled to break down a well-drilled Wigan backline.
Roberts did have the ball in the net after 33 minutes – but he was flagged offside while Jack Clarke was also just off target.
But for all Sunderland’s intricate approach work there was little end product.
When Pritchard flashed a free-kick across goal, none of his team-mates demonstrated the attacking instinct to attack the ball.
And it was the same again when Roberts crossed from the touchline.
In Wyke the visitors possessed a good old-fashioned No. 9.
And he made no mistake after 44 minutes when Mackems’ least favourite old boy James Mcclean found him in the middle and he lashed home left-footed.
Sunderland were level nine minutes after the restart as Embleton smartly converted Cirkin’s centre from close range for his first goal since finding the net in May’s play-off final against Wycombe at Wembley.
Keeper Anthony Patterson pushed away Mcclean’s set-piece and Dan Neil lost out one-on-one with Ben Amos.
But Sunderland secured maximum points for the first time in five games when Cirkin did his Quinn impression to earn them only their second home win of the season.
“We had to manage certain moments better than we did,” said Wigan boss Leam Richardson.
“But if I’m going to take a positive out of the day, it was Charlie’s goal.
“It meant a lot to him to come here and score.”
SUNDERLAND: Patterson 6; O’nien 6, Batth 6, Alese 6; Gooch 6 (Amad (45) 6), Embleton 7 (Wright (90) 5), Neil 6; Cirkin 8; Roberts 7, Pritchard 7, Clarke 7
WIGAN: Amos 6; Kerr 6, Whatmough 6, Tilt 6 (Aasgaard (77) 5); Darikwa 6, Power 6, Naylor 6 (Shinnie (81) 5), Mcclean 7; Keane 6; Broadhead 7 (Fletcher (81) 5), Wyke 7 (Magennis (68) 5)
STAR MAN: Dennis Cirkin – Made one, scored one and played well all game.
REF: Keith Stroud 6