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Mikk · 09-25-2005, 06:46 PM

Middlesbrough 0-2 Sunderland

Sunderland earned their first league victory of the season in the north-east derby with Middlesbrough.

And the Black Cats' first Premiership win in 22 games since December 2002 leaves Everton bottom of the table.

Tommy Miller's crisp finish fired Sunderland ahead inside 90 seconds and Julio Arca exquisitely doubled their lead from a controversial free-kick.

Sunderland keeper Kelvin Davis saved well from James Morrison and Yakubu to kill off a potential Boro revival.

Sunderland got off to a dream start when Davis' long punt unsettled the Boro defence and Gareth Southgate's attempt to intercept Andy Gray's flick only diverted the ball into the path of Miller, who fired past Bradley Jones.

It proves we CAN win in this league

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If Boro were knocked back on their heels they showed few signs as they launched a furious response, pinning Sunderland back in their defensive third.

Sunderland responded in kind with some determined and, at times, desperate defending.

Gary Breen and Stephen Caldwell were rocks at the heart of the Sunderland defence and Breen bravely threw himself in front of Franck Queudrue to block his stinging goal-bound shot.

Sunderland keeper Davis preserved his side's lead with two fine saves, first from James Morrison as Boro broke swiftly from defence and then from Yakubu, who latched on to Christian Bassila's mis-kick to thump in a close-range effort, which Davis blocked with his legs.

Fabio Rochembach and Stephen Elliott only have eyes for the ball

Davis again showed superb reactions as George Boateng's powerful shot came through a ruck of players and deserved a slice of luck as Yakubu bundled the loose ball wide.

Sunderland were temporarily reduced to nine men when Bassila and Nyron Nosworthy were forced off for treatment after a clash of heads and almost paid a hefty price when Mark Viduka fired inches wide.

But the Black Cats doubled their lead with a goal tinged with controversy.

Referee Howard Webb overruled the linesman's offside flag against Andy Gray to award Sunderland a free-kick for a foul on Miller - and Arca took full advantage by curling a free-kick over the wall.

Boro threw on Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink to find a route back into the game but Sunderland were not content to merely sit on their lead. Stephen Elliott and Dean Whitehead worked tirelessly to ensure the game was played in Boro's half as much as possible. Boro's attempts to find the goal to get them back into the game became increasingly one-dimensional and Davis was not stretched in the second half as Sunderland's defence coped as the ball was lumped in

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Ahhh at last and against a rivial! I am now happy and hope we take this form into the West Ham game that i am going to see.