Sunderland 2-1 Burnley: Darren Bent Goal Nudges Clarets Closer To The Drop

Posted Sunday, April 18, 2010 by Goal.com

First-half goals from Frazier Campbell and Darren Bent gave Sunderland a comfortable win over Brian Laws’ Burnley.
The away side, fresh from a vital, morale-boosting away win at fellow relegation candidates Hull City last week, travelled to the Stadium of Light to take on Steve Bruce’s Sunderland, whose manager still harbours hopes of a top 10 finish.

A lacklustre start to the game saw little action in the opening 15 minutes, with Sunderland happy to keep possession, whilst Burnley sat back. However, in the

18th minute a Jordan Henderson free kick, swung in from the right was headed goalwards by Ghanaian defender John Mensah, but his downward header was saved down to his left by Brian Jensen.

Sunderland continued to dominate proceedings and in the 22nd minute Kenwyne Jones, the Sunderland striker, hit the outside of the post after Burnley failed to clear a Henderson corner.

Sunderland took the lead in the 25th minute. A flowing passing move involving Henderson, Kieran Richardson and Bent saw the Sunderland striker free Alan Hutton down the right hand side. Hutton rolled the ball across the box where Frazier Campbell helped himself to his 7th goal of the season with a cool right foot finish at the near post, beating Brian Jensen.

Burnley now faced an uphill task, as they’ve only come from behind to win once this season – last week in their 4-1 win at the KC Stadium.

Sunderland, sensing their opponent was wounded, forced Jensen into a decent save from Hutton, after clever football again involving the impressive Campbell.

In the 35th minute a short move on the right flank saw Hutton swing the ball across and Darren Bent, dead centre, eight yards out headed wide.

Finally in the 40th minute and Sunderland doubled their advantage. Lovely chipped pass (think Xavi in the Bernabeu) from Jordan Henderson found Frazier Campbell, who had broken the offside trap. Campbell could have headed for goal, but instead he unselfishly headed the ball square allowing Darren Bent to sweep home from a mere 6 yards, to put Sunderland two goals up and enforce their first half domination.

Half Time saw Sunderland head for the dressing room leading by two goals to nil, thanks to the impressive Campbell and Darren Bent’s 24th goal of the season.

Their opponents Burnley however, looked hopeless in the first half.

Steven Fletcher, the Scotland international and club record signing, has been isolated against Turner and Mensah, whilst the young Sunderland midfielders Meyler and Henderson, dominated their more experienced counterparts.

Brian Laws decided to give Fletcher a partner up front by bringing on Steven Thompson to add a physical presence in the final third, replacing Martin Paterson, whilst Anton Ferdinand replaced John Mensah for the home side.

The first effort of the second half saw an optimistic effort from Fletcher, fully 35 yards out, which the Burnley striker dragged wide.

However, Sunderland continued to press their domination and a run down the left saw Keiran Richardson able to cut in strike, but his right foot shot was comfortably saved by Brian Jensen.

With Henderson and Malbranque continuing to probe and Campbell and Bent making willing runs in front of them, it seemed only a matter of time until a third goal for the home side.

However, Burnley created their first clear opening of the game. Lovely weaving football through the midfield, seeing Wade Elliot and Eagles exchange passes, freed Tyrone Mears, the adventurous right-back, who drilled a low ball across the six yard box. But, when the away side needed bodies flying in, both Fletcher and Thompson were left standing and the ball was met by Alan Hutton who was able to clear to safety.

However, the away sides attacks were sparse, and the next effort came from Henderson who curled a right foot shot from 25-yards. However, it was comfortable for Jensen.

With 12 minutes to go, Burnley were opened up once more, this time by Malbranque and his clever pass found Bent, looking for his 25th goal of the season, but he scuffed his effort horribly.

Just two minutes later a poor challenge from David Meyler saw him booked however Danny Fox was unable to hit the target with his free-kick.

Needing two goals in the final 10 minutes, Burnley turned to Robbie Blake who instantly had an effect on the match.

The experienced forward caressed a pass through the Sunderland defence into the path of the half-time substitute Steven Thompson, who drilled a low right-foot shot past Craig Gordon, to halve the deficit.

With their tails up and the away fans roaring them on, Burnley has found a renewed hope and lead by Blake, a counter-attack down the right saw them force a corner. Blake took the kick himself and planted it onto the head of Thompson whose downward header was cleared off the line by Scotland international Alan Hutton.

Burnley had renewed hope against a side who had dropped 10 points in the last five minutes of games this season.

However, it was Sunderland who reclaimed control of the game and a clever move down the left saw Kenwyne Jones shoot from the edge of the area, forcing a good save from Jensen, just as the fourth official held up the board for four added minutes.

However, anyone expecting Burnley to adopt a gung-ho approach in added time would have been disappointed, as the clarets failed to muster a shot on Craig Gordon’s goal.

The final whistle at the Stadium of Light was greeted with a sigh of relief from the Sunderland fans, whose side had hung on, and a groan from the away fans whose side slipped ever closer to an instant return to the Championship.