Source: Team_Talk
Bent sets sights on more goals
Sunderland striker Darren Bent has set his sights on the 30-goal mark after moving to 23 for the season with two against Tottenham on Saturday.[LNB] Bent scored a first-half double in the Black Cats' 3-1 win but then, having already scored one penalty, saw two more spot-kicks from 12 yards saved by Heurelho Gomes.[LNB]Asked if 30 goals was realistic, the frontman replied: "If I had got the other two today, 30 might not have been too far away.[LNB]"To be fair, I am happy with how many goals I have got at the moment, but I don't want to stand on it. I want to keep going and if I can get past that 25-mark, I will be delighted."[LNB]Bent's contribution to a remarkable game provided further evidence of just how much he has prospered since Spurs boss Harry Redknapp decided to accept Sunderland's £10million bid for his services last summer.[LNB]Redknapp had famously compared the striker's finishing with that of his wife Sandra - and not favourably - at one point, but within 29 minutes he was treated to a demonstration of the potency which has proved so valuable to his new club.[LNB]Just 36 seconds had elapsed when Bent pounced on the rebound after Gomes could only parry Fraizer Campbell's header, and when full-back Kyle Walker handled as he attempted to deal with the aftermath of Steed Malbranque's drive, he was unerring from the spot.[LNB]The game should have been all over four minutes before the break when Luka Modric was adjudged to have tripped Campbell inside the box, but Gomes dived to his left to save Bent's penalty.[LNB]Bent was handed a chance to redeem himself 17 minutes after the break when Wilson Palacios felled David Meyler and referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot for a third time, but this time, Gomes went to his right and with the help of the post, managed to spare his side once again.[LNB]Bent, who regularly went to head-to-head with the South American from the spot in training during his time in north London, said: "Back then, he didn't save any. He has been saving it for the big games.[LNB]"But at the same time, I am delighted we won and the team is moving forward.[LNB]"If I had missed two penalties and I hadn't scored, I would have come off there crying."[LNB]Sunderland thought they had wrapped up the win three minutes later when Anton Ferdinand fired home through a crowded penalty area, only to have his celebrations cut short when Lee Mason chalked off his effort for a foul by Campbell on Gomes during the build-up.[LNB]It was then that Bent's misses might have come back to haunt him when substitute Peter Crouch pulled one back for the visitors with a 72nd-minute header, just seconds after replacing the ineffective Roman Pavlyuchenko.[LNB]However, fellow newcomer Boudewijn Zenden finally killed Spurs off with a stunning 86th-minute volley to seal a deserved victory.[LNB]Bent said: "The first goal, every emotion ran through my system then when the first one went in, and to get a second one quite soon after was fantastic.[LNB]"Then I missed the two penalties and when they get to 2-1, you start thinking, 'Oh no, what's happening here?'.[LNB]"But the boys stuck with it and played really well, and it was a well-earned three points."
