Newcastle back on top of the Championship after Wigan win

( Reuters) - Newcastle United regained top spot in the English Championship on Wednesday as Mo Diame and substitute Christian Atsu scored either side of halftime to earn them a hard-fought 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic.

For once it was not United's key striker Dwight Gayle whose marksmanship earned the crucial victory for Rafa Benitez's high-flying Magpies.

Diame scored the 26th-minute opener after a fine run and then a neat one-two with Isaac Hayden and Atsu came off the bench to seal victory 12 minutes from time, shooting home from Yoann Gouffran's cross.

The win enabled Newcastle to clamber back to the top by a point over Brighton and Hove Albion, who had temporarily taken over the leadership with their 3-2 win at Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday.

Thomas Ince's late volley earned Derby County a 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers, their seventh straight victory taking them to fifth in the table.

(Reporting by Ian Chadband; Editing by Toby Davis)