Sunderland end winless streak in style as Bent smashes a treble
SUNDERLAND striker Darren Bent plundered a hat-trick as the Black Cats ended a 15-match wait for a Premier League victory with a 4-0 rout of 10-man Bolton.
Fraizer Campbell set the home side on their way after just 41 seconds, before forward partner Bent took his tally for the season to 19 with a second-half treble.
Bent latched onto a Lee Cattermole pass for his first, dusted himself down after a foul from red-carded Sam Ricketts to net his second from the penalty spot, and capped his evening by slotting home two minutes from time. The win lifted Sunderland to 13th – one place above Bolton.
Birmingham, meanwhile, avenged their FA Cup quarter-final defeat by beating Portsmouth 2-1 at Fratton Park. Two Cameron Jerome goals lifted the Blues to eighth in the table, despite Kanu’s late penalty. Pompey, who dumped Birmingham out of the cup on Saturday, remain bottom.