RECORD-signing Asamoah Gyan paid off a sizeable instalment of his £13million-plus fee with a match-winning double for Sunderland against 10-man Stoke.

The Ghana international struck after nine minutes and, after Steed Malbranque had missed a first-half penalty, added a second four minutes from time to help ease the pain of last weekend's 5-1 humiliation by Newcastle.

But in the meantime, Stoke were denied what they felt was a certain penalty for handball after Lee Cattermole smuggled Kenwyne Jones' header off the line and then had skipper Ryan Shawcross sent off for two bookable offences inside three minutes.

Fulham centre-half Brede Hangeland earned Fulham a point with a last-gasp equaliser at Craven Cottage.

Marc Albrighton's 42nd-minute strike looked to have given Aston Villa all three points when he latched onto a sensational crossfield pass from Barry Bannan to finish in style. But Hangeland rose highest to level with just seconds left to deny Villa victory.

Bottom-placed West Ham looked set for a first away success of the campaign after Frederic Piquionne and Valon Behrami had put them in command but Birmingham City substitute Cameron Jerome and Liam Ridgewell salvaged a point for Alex McLeish's side.

Substitute Jason Roberts sealed three precious points for Blackburn against fellow relegation strugglers Wigan at Ewood Park today with a 66th minute strike.

Roberts beat the offside trap to convert Brett Emerton's right-wing cross and add to Morten Gamst Pedersen's free-kick opener eight minutes earlier.

Charles N'Zogbia reduced the deficit from a free-kick in the 74th minute but Rovers had the last chance when David Dunn somehow poked wide from a Pascal Chimbonda cross but the game would end 2-1 to the hosts.