West Ham United moved back into the top half of the table with a welcome 3-1 victory against Sunderland at the Boleyn Ground.
Carlton Cole's early header set them on their way, and although the impressive Kenwyne Jones levelled early in the second half, an own-goal from Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon and an added-time Craig Bellamy strike made certain of three precious points. A late double substitution made all the difference with Nolberto Solano and Luis Boa Morte more than playing their part.
A hat-trick of Premier League defeats had seen West Ham United go into the match in eleventh place in the table. But, following the loss at Aston Villa a fortnight ago, Alan Curbishley had at least been able to recall the fit-again Bellamy in place of Dean Ashton (knee), while Mark Noble and Cole came in for Freddie Ljungberg (calf) and substitute Henri Camara, who was joined on the bench by Solano for the first time since his transfer deadline-day arrival.
Languishing in 16th spot, Sunderland came into this game without a win in three games, too, and following his side's 3-2 defeat at Arsenal, Roy Keane also made a trio of switches as suspended Paul McShane found his place taken by Greg Halford, while Roy O'Donovan and Dickson Etuhu came in for Dwight Yorke and substitute Michael Chopra.
The Black Cats made a lively start as Jones nodded Ross Wallace's free-kick from the right-hand touchline over the top inside the opening minute. With the Trinidad and Tobago international seemingly set to go it all alone up front, it looked like Curbishley's men would need to spend the afternoon patiently prodding and probing.
As it happened, they did not have to wait too long to find the breakthrough. With just nine minutes on the clock, a methodical build-up saw Hayden Mullins send George McCartney racing away down the left flank, and the Northern Ireland international's pinpoint cross was met by Cole, who outjumped both Danny Collins and team-mate Lee Bowyer, to send a clever, eight-yard header looping over Gordon.
Despite suffering that early setback, the visitors still tried to find Jones at every opportunity and when the £6m signing from Southampton let fly from 25 yards, Robert Green showed just why he has been knocking on Steve McClaren's England door with a fantastic flying save to deny Sunderland a 15th-minute leveller.
As the contest ebbed and flowed, West Ham United also had chances to double their advantage before the break as Matthew Etherington's low 18-yard shot curled wide before Noble's deep free-kick was headed behind at the far post by the disappointed Bowyer.
Keane introduced Chopra and Anthony Stokes in place of Wallace and O'Donovan at half-time and it soon paid off. Within six minutes, Leadbitter's corner was met by Jones, who sent a powerful header past the diving Green.
Having levelled, Sunderland then subjected West Ham to some nervy moments as Leadbitter unleashed a 20-yarder that the home goalkeeper pushed on to his right-hand post. Another carbon-copy corner saw Noble forced to scoop Etuhu's goal-bound header off the line.
With the visitors gaining the upper hand, Curbishley responded with a double-substitution of his own as Solano emerged for his debut alongside Boa Morte, as Noble and Etherington retired.
On 77 minutes, those two new faces combined to restore the lead, when Boa Morte's low left-wing centre found its way to Solano at the back of the area, and although the Peruvian's shot struck the base of Gordon's left-hand post, the ball rebounded off the luckless keeper and into the net.
Then, in added time, Bellamy marked his return to action with his fourth goal of the season, when he rifled in Boa Morte's clever cut-back to put Curbishley's men back on the winning trail.