Teenager Tom Watson scored his first Sunderland goals as the Black Cats came from behind to beat Stoke 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.
Lewis Koumas had put Stoke ahead after six minutes but Watson immediately cancelled out the away side’s opener.
The winger then brought an end to Sunderland’s six-match winless run when he fired home the winner four minutes from time.
It was a deserved success for Sunderland, who were much the better team throughout and had 24 shots on goal.
The victory gets the Black Cats back on track after their defeat to Sheffield United last time out, but Narcis Pelach’s Stoke side are now winless in their last five games.
The Potters had failed to score in their last two outings but it took just six minutes for them to break the deadlock on Wearside. Koumas raced away down the right and, although his first effort was saved by Anthony Patterson, the Liverpool loanee was on the spot to tuck away the rebound.
Sunderland’s response was instant and just a minute later Watson lashed a low drive beyond Viktor Johansson.
The teenage winger is getting his first run in the Sunderland team in the absence of the injured Romaine Mundle and almost scored a second inside quarter of an hour when his low drive was kept out by the feet of Johansson.
Wilson Isidor could have had a hat-trick before the break for the Black Cats. The striker first saw a fiercely hit free-kick brilliantly kept out by Johansson, who then denied the Zenit St Petersburg loanee again when he raced away one-on-one. Isidor’s frustration deepened when his close-range volley from Aji Alese’s shot flashed wide.
Watson then went agonisingly close to his second goal when his curled effort clipped the outside of the post, but Stoke survived to the break.
The visitors quickly found themselves up against it again at the start of the second half, Johansson punching away under pressure after Chris Rigg’s deflected effort looped towards goal.
The chances dried up but Watson was Sunderland’s most dangerous attacker and crossed for Rigg, who was denied by Johansson 20 minutes from time. Watson then missed a glorious chance, slicing over from just six yards out after fine build-up play from Patrick Roberts.
Eliezer Mayenda was introduced and almost made an immediate impact when his knock-down was tapped in by Isidor, but the striker was flagged offside.
But Sunderland and Watson were not to be denied and the Black Cats forced a winner when Roberts crossed for the winger to fire home from inside the box.
