Middlesbrough 1
Aliadiere 19
Wigan 0
Middlesbrough 1 Wigan 0 January 29 2008
Jeremie Aliadiere's first-half strike handed Middlesbrough a vital victory over fellow relegation rivals Wigan at the Riverside.
Boro made a bright start with Aliadiere firing across goal, while Tuncay spurned two good opportunities.
But the Frenchman fired Teessiders ahead on 18 minutes when he latched onto a long ball and produced a fine finish from distance.
David Wheater then headed over the bar, while Tuncay missed another chance before limping off with a hamstring injury.
The Latics saw their penalty claims waved away when Marlon King's shot struck Wheater's arm.
Aliadiere almost turned Mido's cross home early in the second period, but Wigan were marginally the stronger thereafter with Emile Heskey threatening but not doing enough to score.
The defeat sends Steve Bruce's side tumbling back into the relegation zone.