Sunderland vs Newcastle United. Premier League.
Stadium of LightAttendance47,653.
Sunday 25 October 2015 17:07, UK
Sunderland picked up their first win of the season and continued a hot streak of derby form with a 3-0 victory against 10-man Newcastle.
Magpies skipper Fabricio Coloccini was dismissed for a last-man challenge on Steven Fletcher, allowing Adam Johnson to fire the hosts in front from the penalty spot late in the first half.
Billy Jones then scored his first Sunderland goal to double the lead, before Fletcher sealed the result with a fine volley late on.
A vital victory for Sam Allardyce - who becomes the fourth Sunderland manager to beat Newcastle in his second game in charge - moves the Black Cats off the bottom of the table and represents a sixth straight success over their local rivals.
Newcastle dominated possession in the first half, putting plenty of pressure on their opponents as they looked to pick up their second win in a row.
Georginio Wijnaldum, who starred in the win over Norwich, was involved early on as he played a neat one-two with Aleksandar Mitrovic, but his low effort was well saved by Costel Pantilimon.
Jack Colback - playing against his former club - then went close after he met a superb ball from Daryl Janmaat with a first-time volley, but Pantilimon was again there to make the save as he diverted it wide.
From the resulting corner Mitrovic volleyed wide of the near post as Newcastle looked constantly threatening and the most likely side to score.
But then came the game-changing moment, as substitute Jermain Defoe - who replaced the injured Ola Toivonen - slotted a pass through the defence for Fletcher, who was bundled over by Coloccini in the box.
The referee awarded the spot-kick straight away, dismissing the Newcastle skipper before Johnson stepped up to fire the penalty into the bottom corner in the third minute of first-half stoppage time.
Coloccini and manager Steve McClaren were visibly furious, remonstrating with the officials, but Sunderland had the lead and never looked back.
The hosts gradually pressed their advantage, and Fletcher nearly made it two with a long-range effort which deflected just wide on 65 minutes.
But from the resulting corner, Yann M'Vila fired a brilliant low volley at goal which Jones met at the far post to tap in for his first goal for the club.
It was very nearly 3-0 seven minutes later as Fletcher played the ball to Johnson, who cut in from the right and fired a rasping effort against the crossbar.
But, as Newcastle slowly tired and started to leave gaps, Allardyce's men eventually wrapped up the win in the 86th minute with a sweeping counter.
Defoe charged into the Newcastle half before finding Younes Kaboul, who chipped a superb ball over the top for Fletcher, and the striker blasted a low volley home to seal Sunderland's latest win over their neighbours - their best derby run.
Player ratings
Sunderland: Pantilimon (8), Yedlin (6), Jones (7), O'Shea (5), Kaboul (6), Cattermole (6), M'Vila (9), Toivonen (5), Johnson (8), Lens (6), Fletcher (7).
Subs used: Coates (5), Larsson (6), Defoe (7).
Newcastle: Elliot (6), Janmaat (5), Mbemba (6), Coloccini (4), Dummett (5), Sissoko (7), Tiote (5), Colback (7), Wijnaldum (7), Perez (5), Mitrovic (5).
Subs used: Anita (7), Lascelles (6), Thauvin (7).
Man of the match: Yann M'Vila
