SUNDERLAND, England -- Sunderland secured a morale-boosting 3-0 win over Reading in the Premier League on Tuesday to climb out of the relegation zone and relieve the pressure on manager Martin O'Neill.
Reading, second from bottom and still without an away win in the league, fell behind in the third minute when James McClean smashed home a finish after visiting goalkeeper Adam Federici punched a corner out to the edge of the area.
Steven Fletcher grabbed his seventh goal of the campaign, backheeling the ball in from Danny Rose's cross, to put Sunderland 2-0 up in the 28th before Stephane Sessegnon added a third in second-half injury time.
O'Neill's job has been under scrutiny following the team's poor run of form. This was only Sunderland's third win in its last 23 league matches.
