Wigan moved out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone after taking all three points from their basement battle with Wolves at Molineux.
Hugo Rodallega gave the Latics the lead in the ninth minute when he volleyed past Wayne Hennessey and the Colombian striker then turned provider just over 10 minutes later, feeding the ball to Tom Cleverley, who slotted home to make it 2-0.
Wanderers, who had two penalty appeals turned down before the interval, pulled one back through substitute Steven Fletcher late on but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation as Wigan held out to secure a precious victory.
The pressure surrounding the game had been increased by West Ham's 3-1 triumph at Fulham earlier in the day, which took Avram Grant's side off the bottom of the table.
Wolves have taken their place at the foot of the league, while Wigan are up to 16th off the back of what was their first win since November 13.
The visitors created the first opening after only two minutes as Ronnie Stam sent a useful cross into the box, but James McArthur could get no power on a header which Hennessey collected comfortably.
The hosts responded with a spell of pressure and Stephen Ward won a corner after linking up well with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. It was taken by Stephen Hunt and caused a scramble in the area but the Latics managed to get the ball away.
Three minutes later, another corner led to Wigan going ahead. It was only partially cleared by the Wolves defence and the ball was sent back into the box, where Gary Caldwell flicked it over several golden shirts and Rodallega turned to fire it past Hennessey.
Christophe Berra was presented with an opportunity to quickly equalise, but it came at him too fast from a free-kick and bounced off his thigh, Ali Al Habsi getting down to make the save.
Ebanks-Blake then struck a volley from Ward's knock-down that rose high over the bar, but soon after, Wigan had doubled their advantage.
With 20 minutes on the clock Rodallega collected a throw-in and laid the ball to Cleverley, who finished coolly to register his third goal in four games.
Wolves fans were stunned and moments later they cried out in protest as Steve Gohouri appeared to bring Ward down in the box, but referee Mike Dean waved play on.
Hunt rose to meet Dave Edwards' cross at the far post but could not get his effort on target and Al Habsi then seemed to have been caught out by the deflection Nenad Milijas' free-kick took on it's way towards goal, but the Oman international pulled off an impressive save with his foot as his body moved the opposite way.
Wigan survived another penalty scare when Dean ruled Antolin Alcaraz had not handled in the area, and the visitors looked like they might add another goal just before the break but Cleverley saw his attempt blocked by Richard Stearman.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy threw on Matt Jarvis for Edwards 10 minutes into the second period in an attempt to give his side some more attacking impetus, although it was Cleverley who was looking threatening again just after the hour mark, the on-loan Manchester United midfielder getting a shot away that Hennessey was equal to.
Play immediately switched and Jarvis drove forward before sliding a ball into the danger zone, but it was dealt with by the Latics backline.
Ronald Zubar then picked up a booking after bringing down Charles N'Zogbia on the edge of the box. Ben Watson took the set-piece but sent it over the crossbar.
McCarthy made another offensive change by introducing Fletcher in place of George Elokobi and Cleverley was next into the referee's book after he upended Jarvis.
Fletcher tried an ambitious overhead effort in the 80th minute which amounted to nothing, but with three minutes of normal time remaining, the Scotland striker handed Wolves a lifeline, prodding the ball in from close range after Jarvis' cross had ricocheted around a crowd of players.
The home side then desperately pressed for the leveller but could not find a way through before Dean blew for full-time.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez praised the way his players coped with the pressure of Sunday's relegation battle with Wolves as they came away from Molineux with a precious 2-1 victory.
The Latics moved out of the Premier League drop zone and up to 16th thanks to first-half strikes from Hugo Rodallega and Tom Cleverley, substitute Steven Fletcher prodding in a late reply for Wanderers that proved nothing more than a consolation.
Both sides went into the game knowing defeat would have seen them occupying last place following West Ham's 3-1 triumph at Fulham earlier in the day, and Martinez was delighted with the manner in which his team handled the situation.
"It was a very difficult game in terms of coming to Molineux with a lot to lose,'' Martinez said. "We could have finished bottom of the league and that could have been on the players' minds and affected their performance - we are very young. But I felt that the maturity in the performance was fantastic and it showed how far we have come in the first half of the season.
"When you see other teams playing in front of you, it puts that extra bit of pressure on. Looking at the first half of the season, we have been a lot more consistent than last season, but we haven't been able to get the results that the performances sometimes deserve.
"That is something we have to change, and today it was probably the worst possible test in that respect because mentally, we had to be ready. We had many players missing - a couple of suspensions and a few injuries. It would have been all too easy for us to feel sorry for ourselves, but it wasn't the case.''
Martinez's opposite number Mick McCarthy played down the idea that knowing West Ham has won may have been a factor in Wolves' defeat.
"It wasn't for me, although I can't speak for individuals,'' McCarthy said. "I think it is the goals we have conceded which determines the performance, not what has gone on before.''
The home side had two penalty appeals turned down in the opening 45 minutes, one of which McCarthy felt was a certain spot-kick.
"There is one on Stephen Ward which is an absolute stone-waller but we haven't had one yet, so why bother?'' McCarthy said, before joking: "I might not even designate a penalty taker, because it doesn't seem like we are going to get one.''
Despite the gallows humour, the Yorkshireman is determined to look upon his side's current predicament as positively as he can.
"There is only one way for us to go at this moment in time, with the games we have got remaining,'' McCarthy said. "I know ultimately there are two ways we can go, but at the moment there is only one.''
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