Arouna Kone gave Wigan's survival hopes a real lift thanks to a 2-1 victory against Newcastle at the DW Stadium.
The striker scored a last-minute winner to send Roberto Martinez's side to within three points of safety, although they were lucky not have had Callum McManaman sent-off for an earlier tackle which saw Massadio Haidara stretchered off.
Jean Beausejour handed the hosts the lead, only for Davide Santon to level matters before Kone's dramtic late winner.
Wigan's young goalkeeper Joel was forced into the first meaningful save of the afternoon as he sprang across his line to handle Sylvain Marveaux's point-blank header from an inswinging corner.
After some more assertive pressure from the hosts, they broke the deadlock after 18 minutes with a well-worked goal. McManaman showed quick fleet of foot to skip past Haidara down the right before delivering a cross to the back post where Davide Santon made a mess of his clearance and that allowed Jean Beausejour to sweep in for his first goal for the club.
The hosts were lucky not to have McManaman sent-off soon after as substitute Haidara was stretchered off following a horror tackle by the forward. Referee Mark Halsey failed to see the incident, therefore did not even brandish a card.
Goalkeeper Rob Elliot was called into action as he parried away Shaun Maloney's curler from just inside the area as the Latics' pressed forward in search for a second.
And just before the break they had a real opportunity to do that as James McCarthy broke through the middle of the park and seemed to be in the clear until Jonas Gutierrez came sliding in to make an excellent last-ditch tackle.
The visitors' best chance of the opening period came midway through the six added minutes of stoppage time, but Papiss Cisse and James Perch went for the same ball.
The second half started in a real frenzy with McManaman's goalbound effort well blocked by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa before Cisse ballooned his effort over the crossbar from close-range.
The game tipped in the Magpies' favour with 18 minutes remaining as they restored parity to delight the away contingent. Cisse found Davide Santon with a well-timed pass and the Frenchman scored his first senior goal with a strike which flew under the legs of Maynor Figueroa and past Joel.
With a couple of minutes remaining Cisse's toe-poke towards goal was touched wide by the Latics' shot-stopper before Wigan grabbed a dramatic winner thanks to Kone.
A corner from the right caused mayhem in the box with Newcastle players appealing for handball on Maynor Figueroa, but Kone was johnny on the spot as he slotted the ball into the roof of the net.
