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Hull City moved out of the bottom three of the Premier League after beating Wigan Athletic 2-1 at the KC Stadium.

Second-half goals from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Geovanni were enough to seal only Hull's second home league win of 2009, with substitute Scott Sinclair scoring a late consolation for the Latics.

The result lifts Hull out of the relegation zone overnight. Two of the three sides below them, Fulham and West Ham, play each other at Upton Park on Sunday.

After an hour of play in which Roberto Martinez's side played the better football, Hull went ahead when Vennegoor of Hesselink got to Dean Marney's corner first and glanced his near-post header past Chris Kirkland to open his account for the Tigers.

Phil Brown's side then doubled their lead eight minutes later when defender Kamil Zayatte - playing in midfield - powered down the right wing before chipping a ball back to the far post for the unmakred Geovanni to volley home for his fourth of the season.

In the closing stages Martinez sent on Sinclair, who is currently on loan from Chelsea. The 20-year-old winger took just three minutes to net his first Premier League goal went he reacted quickest to a save from Boaz Myhill and headed over the floundering keeper from close range.

That goal sparked a late rally from Wigan, but they could not find another goal to scrape a point that would have kept them in the top 10.

Hull were appealing for a penalty as early as the first minute when Stephen Hunt hooked the ball over to Nicky Barmby at the far post. The new Tigers captain steered the ball back across goal and it hit the arm of Maynor Figueroa, who had his arms by his sides. Referee Mark Clattenburg had a clear view of the incident and saw nothing untoward.

Hunt found Barmby again 10 minutes later when the Irishman sent a long diagonal ball upfield for his team-mate to chase. Barmby got in front of his marker but could only knock his volley wide of the target as goalkeeper Chris Kirkland came charging off his line.

Wigan then began to take control of the possession and create chances of their own, with Hugo Rodallega firing a half-cleared corner over the bar.

The visitors nearly found themselves behind when Titus Bramble - who scored the opener in Wigan's 3-1 win over Chelsea last week - was caught dawdling in possession by Geovanni. The Brazilian forced the defender to relinquish the ball to Hunt who drove forward, but Hendry Thomas tracked back well to tackle Hunt, clear the ball and a spare his team-mate's blushes.

Wigan began the second half in the same manner as they ended the first, dominating possession without finding too many ways through a well-organised Hull side.

Paul McShane slid in to Mohamed Diame a tap-in inside the six-yard box, while Jason Scotland drilled a low shot just wide of the target. The Trinidad and Tobago striker is still searching for his first Premier League goal.

When Barmby was replaced by Kamel Ghilas midway through the second half it was Geovanni who took the captain's armband, suggesting that the once rocky relationship between the Brazilian and manager Brown may be healthier this season.

Wigan had five minutes of injury time to try and force an equaliser, but Hendry Thomas fired over the bar on the turn before substitute Jordi Gomez rightfully earned a booking for a dive in the area in the dying moments.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport