Wigan Athletic boss Leam Richardson has questioned the decision to award Sunderland a penalty in their opening-day defeat.
Gwion Edwards handed the Latics the perfect start at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, with the winger reacting quickest to a rebound in the 15th minute.
However, Lee Johnson's side pulled level just two minutes later when Ross Stewart was brought down in the box by Tendayi Darikwa.
Aiden McGeady converted the penalty, and it was Stewart who settled the contest with a close-range header shortly after the interval.
Richardson believes referee Robert Madley's decision 'half-turned' the game as it galvanised the 30,000 Sunderland fans in attendance.
Former Black Cats Max Power and Charlie Wyke were among eight debutants in the visitors' starting eleven, and the Latics boss admits the substantial overhaul also played a role in his side's performance.
He told the club's website : “I thought we started the game ever so well, and really imposed ourselves.
“Obviously with the great atmosphere and with it being the first game of the season, we’re very mindful that we had eight debutants and I think it showed in parts.
“It was disappointing to concede straight away after we went in front. I’ve been told that it wasn’t a penalty, and I felt that that half-turned the game.
“It gave them an opportunity to get up and running with the fans behind them, but I felt that we finished the game quite strongly.
“You’ve got to manage the game in certain situations and environments like this one, but I don’t think we got enough chance to do that. If it’s not a penalty, it will be disappointing because you don’t want to play the occasion - you want to play the game.
“I felt we possibly got engulfed in that a little bit in parts, but with a brand-new team that we’ve put together in a couple of weeks, we’ll see improvements as we go."
