Source: Daily_Mail
Sunderland 4 Bolton 0: Bent treble takes the heat off boss Bruce
It is not quite time to break open the champagne but Wednesday's lunchtime meeting between Niall Quinn, Steve Bruce and millionaire owner Ellis Short will have a more convivial air after Sunderland finally ended their miserable run with a thumping victory. [LNB]Darren Bent scored his first Sunderland hat-trick and Fraizer Campbell ended his long wait for a first Premier League goal for the club to end a run of 14 winless games. [LNB]A first three-point return since November's victory over Arsenal pushed Sunderland up four places in the table to 13th, above Bolton with a game in hand and six points clear of the relegation zone. [LNB] High flyer: Fraizer Campbell breaks the deadlock at the Stadium of Light[LNB] [LNB] [LNB]Short and Bruce met last night, before the American businessman tookhis seat alongside Quinn. They talked on the Stadium of Light pitch for20 minutes and, from a distance at least, the get-together lookedpositive for the Sunderland manager. Both men were smiling throughout.[LNB]41 SECONDS... Fraizer Campbell scores inside a minute for Sunderland to bag the fastest goal of the Premier League season. [LNB]His strike beat Jermain Defoe's 52sec effort for Tottenham against Manchester United. [LNB]Bruce said: 'I was walking around, just went for some fresh air and bumped into him. It was not planned. [LNB]'We are very lucky we have an owner like him. It has been a toughtime but his support, with the chairman, has been spot on and we allwant to try to get it right. [LNB]'This win gets the monkey off our back and now we want to finish off as strongly as we can.' [LNB]Campbell's goal, from a rare Lorik Cana assist, came after just 41seconds and was greeted by high fives from Quinn and Ellis in thedirectors' box. Bruce just puffed out his cheeks. [LNB] At the double: Darren Bent hits Sunderland's second and his first of three goals of the evening[LNB]'It has been a long time coming and it is just a relief to get that win,' he admitted. [LNB]It's good to talk: Steve Bruce (L) speaks with Sunderland owner Ellis Short before kick-off[LNB]But Campbell may have to work on his celebrations. In his exuberanceto share his joy with Sunderland supporters, the England Under 21forward got his foot caught in an advertising board and had to bepulled free by his team-mates. [LNB]Bent, meanwhile, had missed three excellent chances in the first half before he finally settled the game and home fans' nerves. [LNB]Lee Cattermole's driving run created the smallest of openings forBent in the 63rd minute, just as Bolton were starting to create chancesof their own. He danced past Zat Knight before lashing a shot throughJussi Jaaskelainen's hands. [LNB]Bent had his second goal 10 minutes from time, sending Jaaskelainenthe wrong way from the spot after Sam Ricketts had been dismissed for aprofessional foul on the striker. [LNB]Bolton boss Owen Coyle was convinced the foul happened outside thearea. [LNB]He also felt Cana should have been dismissed for a knee-highchallenge on Vladimir Weiss. [LNB]MATCH FACTS SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Gordon 6, Hutton 7, Turner 7, Mensah 6 (Zenden 80min), Ferdinand 5, Campbell 7, Cana 6, Cattermole 7 (Bardsley 70), Malbranque (Mwaruwari 85); Jones 7, Bent 6 Booked: Cana, Bent. [LNB]BOLTON (4-1-3-2): Jaaskelainen 6, Steinsson 6, Knight 5, Ricketts 7, Robinson 5; Muamba 6 (Weiss) Lee 7, Gardner 6 (Taylor 73), Wilshere 7; Davies 5, Elmander 5 (Klasnic 65). Booked: Ricketts, Lee. Sent off: Ricketts. [LNB]Man of the match: Steed Malbranque. Referee: Steve Bennett. [LNB]'It was horrendous and should have been his second booking,' said Coyle. [LNB]'I will be having a word with the referee about a few things.' [LNB]Bent then completed his hat-trick - the first at the ground for five years - Campbell having turned provider with a low cross. [LNB]Bruce insisted 19-goal Bent was still in contention for a place inEngland's World Cup squad and also praised the recalled SteedMalbranque. [LNB]He said: 'Steed has had a tough couple of weeks but today he waseasily the best player on the pitch. Maybe it suits him playing on theleft. [LNB]'And for Benty to get 19 is a fantastic return in a team in thelower half of the table. [LNB]'He is a natural goalscorer and still must bein with a shout.' [LNB] Spot on: hat-trick hero Bent scored Sunderland's third - and his second - with a well-hit penalty[LNB] THE 2009/10 managerial merry-go-round: Axed Hereford boss John Trewick becomes 32nd exit of the seasonNORTHERN EXPOSURE: It's North East derby weekend but it means nothing outside the Premier League especially with Boro in freefallSUNDERLAND FC
