THE FIRST signs of insurrection on Wearside this season were quickly quelled by a local boy who has been little more than a bit-part player since Mick McCarthy took charge at the Stadium of light.

Sunderland-born Michael Proctor has certainly had his ups and downs in the past year or so.

Former manager Howard Wilkinson blooded him in the Worthington Cup win at Arsenal last season, and striker Proctor confirmed his emergence when he came on as a substitute to score his first senior Sunderland goal and seal a late home victory against Liverpool.

Just over a year on, there were uncanny similarities in the visit of Wimbledon. As they did against Liverpool, Sunderland won 2-1 and once again Proctor came off the bench to prove the match-winner, this time with a last-minute strike.

It went some way to erasing the bitter memory of the last time he netted at the North Stand end of the Black Cats' lair.

That was at the start of February, in the death throes of Wilkinson's disastrous reign, when Proctor's fledgling career took a downward turn as he suffered the humiliating misfortune of scoring two of his side's three own goals in the home defeat by Charlton.

The following month, Proctor lined up in McCarthy's first match at the helm, but has since only started a further six games.

With Sunderland desperately in need of attacking inspiration, McCarthy turned to 23-year-old Proctor eight minutes from time against the Dons, after the North Stand jinx had struck again to hand the First Division's bottom club the chance of a wholly improbable victory.

In attempting to clear an innocuous-looking cross, midfielder Paul Thirlwell had sliced the ball over the head of goalkeeper Mart Poom on the stroke of half-time.

It was the sort of fiasco that has become all too familiar here in recent times, and as Sunderland struggled to reassert themselves in the second half after dominating the opening period, the natives naturally became restless.

Chants of "Sack the board'' and "We want Murray out'' echoed around the porticoes of a less-than-half-full stadium.

But Proctor presented under-fire chairman Bob Murray with the ideal Christmas gift - and dropped a heavy hint to McCarthy - when he latched on to John Oster's lob to fire home an angled right-footed finish for his first goal of the season.

Proctor took the place of Marcus Stewart, whose 26th-minute penalty had given his side the lead after former Sunderland defender Darren Holloway brought down George McCartney.

And Black Cats skipper Jason McAteer reckons Proctor has made out a compelling case for a frontline reprieve.

McAteer said: "He's a goalscorer and he proves it in the reserves. That's obviously not the same standard as the first team, but he worked hard and the gaffer knows that.

"He needed a goal in the first team to make some people answer questions. He's just got to keep his head down and keep going.

"He did well in this game. He came on at a difficult time with a difficult crowd and he got the winner.''

This was Sunderland's first success in seven games and one which keeps them in touch with the promotion chasers.

But they did it the hard way after squandering seven chances inside the first 20 minutes. McAteer and Oster were the chief culprits as openings went begging against the Dons' dismal defence.

Rarely will Sunderland fans witness such an unedifying spectacle as they did on this occasion.

The significance of the win, however, was not lost on the experienced McAteer, who urged supporters to maintain faith and unity.

"It wasn't a classic game, but if we get promoted it won't be down to how we played against Wimbledon, it'll be the three points,'' said McAteer, who hit a post early in the game with the goal gaping.

"We're a team of triers. We might not be a team who are playing lovely, attractive football like Manchester United, but unfortunately this is what the crowd are going to get and we're just grinding out results.

"It's a massive win. We know we've been drawing too many games and we know we have to try to win at home. It's a clich, but we have to try to make this place a fortress. If we can do the same here on Boxing Day against Bradford, it will push us back up and change the whole table.

"We need people to stick with us. You sense the crowd would love to see the likes of Veron, Makelele and Duff, but it's not going to happen - they've got the McAteers of this world!

"It's not going to be pretty some days, but we need everyone around us and we need the support.''

McCarthy started with Stewart and Tommy Smith up front, but by the end Proctor and Kevin Kyle were spearheading the attack.

Kyle, who came on early in the second half for the ineffectual Smith, is Sunderland's leading scorer this season with eight goals.

After managing only one in ten games, Kyle has lost his place for the last two matches.

And the big Scot will have to look on from the sidelines again a week on Saturday when Sunderland host Hartlepool United in the FA Cup, after he was controversially sent off in the closing moments against Wimbledon.

Referee Mark Warren broke with convention when he showed a yellow card twice to Kyle before producing a red, after the home striker reacted to a challenge by Dons defender Rob Gier.

McCarthy went beserk on the touchline and had scarcely calmed down when he attended the post-match press conference.

But his relief at a precious victory was as palpable as his anger over Kyle's dismissal.

"I've been desperate for a horrible, lousy, scrappy three points - and I've got them. I'm thrilled with the players,'' insisted McCarthy.

"These lads are what I can afford and what I have got for the rest of the season, apart from maybe a couple of loans or something else.

"It was a fantastic finish from Proctor. He's played and not scored and been in and out. He'll come and knock on my door now, like they all do. They all want to play and they're upset when they don't. Thankfully, we had somebody who could put the ball in the net.''

Result: Sunderland 2 Wimbledon 1.

Read more about Sunderland here.