Asamoah Gyan scored twice on his first Premier League start to restore pride for Sunderland as they registered a controversial victory over Stoke.
Ghanaian striker Gyan slotted home from close range early on, before Steed Malbranque missed a first-half penalty.
The Potters felt hard done by when Lee Cattermole seemed to keep out Kenwyne Jones's goalbound effort with his hand.
And their frustration was compounded when Ryan Shawcross was sent off and Gyan added his second at the death.
It was a frenzied finish to a game which could have gone either way as the visitors attempted to end a three-match losing streak and the Black Cats looked to put their crushing 5-1 defeat by north-east rivals Newcastle behind them.
Stoke made the livelier start as their manager Tony Pulis's decision to keep faith with the side that narrowly lost at Everton last weekend brought a positive response.But they were only in the ascendancy for nine minutes before
Sunderland's £13m record signing Gyan gratefully slotted home a loose ball after Nedum Onuoha's attempted shot was blocked by goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.The Black Cats had a chance to extend their lead just before the half hour when Jon Walters fouled the lively Gyan in the area.
With leading scorer Darren Bent absent because of a hamstring injury, Malbranque took on the responsibility but his effort was easily read by Begovic, who palmed the ball to safety.
In the closing stages of the game, Sunderland piled pressure on their opponents, with Gyan volleying substitute Kieran Richardson's deflected pass beyond Begovic to secure all three points.
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