Sunderland recorded their first win of the season with a convincing 4 – 0 victory over Stoke City at the SOL on Sunday afternoon. Goals from Titus Bramble, an own goal, Craig Gardner and a trademark Seb Larsson free kick gave the Lads and Steve Bruce a much needed win and three points.

Since the Chelsea defeat we learned more about Asamoah Gyan’s departure on loan to footballing giants Al-Ain with Niall Quinn releasing a lengthy statement on the transfer whilst Gyan revealed he had gone for the “challenge”. Presumably the challenge of counting his money. If listening to a mercenary trying to justify the ridiculous decision to swap the Premier League for a team who finished tenth (out of twelve teams) last season in the UAE Pro League wasn’t bad enough, we were dealt a further blow when Phil Bardsley was banned for four games retrospectively for a stamp on Juan Mata.

Steve Bruce made three changes from last week and reverted to 4-4-2. He opted to stick with Simon Mignolet in goal despite the youngster’s hesitant reaction to Daniel Sturridge’s goal. In defence, John O’Shea replaced the suspended Phil Bardsley at right-back; while Kieran Richardson continued at left back as did Wes Brown and Titus Bramble in the centre of defence. In midfield Bruce dropped captain Lee Cattermole and Jack Colback preferring Larsson, Gardner, Vaughan and Elmo. Up front Nicklas Bendtner was partnered by Stephane Sessegnon.

Stoke headed to Wearside boasting Peter Crouch up front, a man that Brucie tried very hard to sign a few weeks ago. Former Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones had to settle for a place on the bench though Dean Whitehead and Rory Delap did start. The Potters have had a good start to the season and went in to today’s game in good form having beaten Liverpool last Saturday and drawing away to Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League on Thursday evening. If ever there was a good time to play them surely it would be after a midweek away trip to the Ukraine?

After Saturday’s results we started the game 19th in the Premier League table so it was vital we got off to a good start which we did scoring after five minutes from a Seb Larsson corner with Titus Bramble stabbing the Swede’s low corner past Begovic.

It was the start we needed and things got better five minutes later with Larsson again the architect. Operating on the left of midfield, he curled a dangerous ball into the box looking for Bendtner, though Woodgate got ahead of the Dane and looped his headed clearance over Begovic and into the back of the net.

Stoke came back into the game and typically their most dangerous offence came from the hands of Rory Delap. The former Sunderland midfielder caused a bit of panic with his long throws and Wes Brown did well to block a Robert Huth shot from the scramble created by the throw. Simon Mignolet was soon called into action when Stoke were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box when Jerome was fouled but the young keeper did well to keep out Wilson’s shot.

On the half hour things got better for Sunderland with Craig Gardner notching his first for the club somewhat luckily. Not that there was anything fluky about the play in the build up to the goal with Vaughan and Bendtner combining well on the edge of the area before Gardner got a left foot shot away which took a deflection and looped into the top corner.

Stoke ended the half with a couple of corners which we defended well, with Brown blocking a shot from Jerome and Mignolet saving from Crouch. Right before half time we broke well with a quick counter attack but Vaughan’s long range effort was comfortably saved.

Half Time

After the break Stoke continued with their rough and direct style of play which saw Wes Brown make another clearance after a shot from Etherington and Robert Huth receive a caution for leaving his boot in on Mignolet.

Huth can count himself lucky he wasn’t red carded on the hour mark as it was the German who gave away the free kick which resulted in Sunderland’s fourth goal. Sessegnon, who was lively all game, was cynically hacked down on the edge of the box but the ref did not deem it a bookable offence. It didn’t matter though as Seb Larsson expertly dispatched the ball into the bottom left hand corner sealing the victory for Sunderland with half an hour remaining.

Jones, Pennant and Palacios all came on for Stoke but Bramble and Brown dealt comfortably with everything Stoke threw at us. Ji Dong Wong and Connor Wickham got a run out for the last ten minutes with Wickham almost getting an assist in injury time after laying the ball to Gardner on the edge of the box but Begovic was equal to his effort.

Aidan Crowe

Final Score: 4-0

ALS Man of the Match: David Vaughan

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