3 Sunderland
0 Newcastle
by Roger Domeneghetti
at the Stadium of Light

Sunderland’s dominance of the north-east derby continued as they made it six wins in a row in Sam Allardyce’s first home game in charge.

But his counterpart Steve McClaren was left fuming after his captain Fabricio Coloccini was sent off on the stroke of half-time.

Yet despite that dominance, Newcastle found themselves a goal and a man down at the break as the game turned on a controversial passage of play.

Lee Cattermole tangled with Georginio Wijnaldum in the Sunderland area, the home side broke and Jermain Defoe threaded a ball through to Steven Fletcher. It looked too heavy but Fabricio Coloccini came across and barged Fletcher over.

Referee Robert Madley had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and reaching for his red card. Newcastle were incensed, suggesting both that they should have had a penalty seconds earlier and that Coloccini had not denied a goal scoring opportunity.

“He’s got it wrong,” said McClaren of the sending off. “I’ve seen lots of challenges like that in every game outside the box never given. And it’s a double whammy, the penalty and the red card made it very difficult.”

Newcastle’s protests over, Adam Johnson buried the ball beyond Rob Elliott to give Sunderland the lead. With 25 minutes left Billy Jones tapped home a volley from Yann M’Vila on the line to make it 2-0. Fletcher made it 3-0 in the last 10 minutes when Sunderland broke again and Younes Kaboul found the Scotsman who headed home.