Sunderland 4 Bolton Wanderers 0
Stu Vose

More than three months of bitter frustration came flooding out as Sunderland produced a four-star display to leave Bolton reeling and claim their first league win since November.

Victory was achieved in style as Darren Bent led the line brilliantly to record a memorable hat-trick and take his tally to 19 goals for the season.

Fraizer Campbell sent Sunderland on their way in style by opening the scoring inside the first minute as the Black Cats' first league double of the season improved their recent record to just one defeat in six.

But while Bent will take the headlines for his three-goal blast, Steed Malbranque will walk away with Steve Bruce's man of the match award after turning in a magnificent display in midfield.

Recalled to the side following a spell of absence, Malbranque was key in the first three goals and received a standing ovation when he was substituted late on, sharing a warm handshake with manager Bruce upon leaving the field.

A clean sheet will be the icing on the cake for Bruce, who couldn't contain his joy on the touchline as Sunderland ran away with the contest in the final half-hour against a Bolton side who had Sam Ricketts sent off with 16 minutes to play.

The win was Sunderland's first in 15 top-flight games, and the hosts were on their way after just 43 seconds as Fraizer Campbell ensured the men from Wearside got off to the best possible start.

Lorik Cana did well to retain possession and lobbed the ball to the back post, where Campbell broke behind his marker to stab the ball beyond an exposed Jussi Jaaskelainen and high into the net - punishment for some slack defending from the away side.

Cue a brief glance to the heavens for Bruce on the touchline as he hailed Campbell's first league goal for Sunderland and his fourth strike of the campaign overall.

The breakthrough gave a reshaped home side early confidence and the reinstated Malbranque was key to their attacking invention.

The little Belgian did well to release Bent on the breakaway following a Bolton attack, and the England striker sidestepped his marker neatly on the edge of the box but drove his shot straight at the keeper.

Just before the quarter-hour, Sunderland threatened again. Lee Cattermole did well to win possession on the right and curled a lovely cross into the path of Campbell, whose looping back-header evaded Jaaskelainen only to drop on top of the net.

Another counter-attack heralded a great chance for Bent on 23 minutes as Malbranque again played a part in the build-up. His clever flick released Campbell, who dropped an exquisite 50-yard pass right on to the toe of Sunderland'stop scorer.

Bent slalomed inside one challenge and slid the ball beyond Jaaskalainen and Paul Robinson's desperate challenge, but the shot was inches off-target and rolled agonisingly wide of the far post.

Bolton, meanwhile, were forcing a number of corners and generated a half-chance when Zat Knight headed wide from a left-wing free kick.

But Sunderland pressed undeterred with Malbranque again front and centre. This time he bamboozled his marker to break clear down the left and teed up Kenwyne Jones, who rifled in a shot from just outside the box only to see Jaaskelainen tip the ball behind.

Then it was Bent's turn to knock on for Jones, whose thumping drive would have taken the back of the net off had it not flashed narrowly over the bar.

And the hosts still had chance to carve out another useful counter-attacking opportunity before the break, created by Bent's industry wide on the left.

The striker did well to wrestle back possession and release Lee Cattermole with Bolton still pushing high up the pitch. He fed Jones, who in turn sent Alan Hutton speeding clear.

Hutton still had work to do and managed to evade the challenge of Gretar Steinsson, but he just couldn't work the angle after getting the ball back on to his favourite right foot and the shot sailed wide.

Sunderland began the second half in the same vein they ended the first, although they did have a minor scare when Chung-Yong Lee broke free in the box and forced Gordon to save his deflected shot at the second attempt.

But any nerves began to lift when the home side bagged a beautifully-crafted second goal just after the hour, cashing in on some more of the intricate approach play shown in the first period.

Malbranque dug the ball out wide on the left just inside the Bolton half and found the onrushing Cattermole with a lovely reverse pass. Given space and time, Cattermole played in leading marksman Bent, who turned Sam Ricketts inside out and lashed a shot beyond Jaaskelainen.

Creator Cattermole was replaced by Phil Bardsley shortly afterwards after pulling up with an injury as Sunderland weathered a brief storm. Gordon had to be alert to punch out Vladimir Weiss's dangerous cross, while sub Ivan Klasnic blasted just wide following a mistake by John Mensah.

But the game was well and truly out of Bolton's grasp when another piece of Malbranque magic helped seal the points. His defence-splitting ball had Ricketts scrambling back to catch Bent as he raced away - the defender sent his opponent tumbling inside the box and was promptly dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Bent dusted himself down and duly dispatched the spot-kick with minimal fuss for his second goal of the game with 16 minutes to play.

Jones could have made it four in the final ten minutes as he first forced Jaaskelainen into a fine tip-over after turning on a sixpence inside the box. Then he netted the rebound after Bent rattled the post, only to be flagged offside.

Bruce's boys, however, did have the fourth goal they wanted to round off a memorable night on Wearside when Campbell pulled the ball back from the byeline for striking pal Bent, who cracked the ball home triumphantly to round off his first treble in Sunderland colours.

After more than three hard months without a league win, the Sunderland fans will have savoured every minute of this one. It could even have been five deep into injury time, but Campbell's drive was well held by Jaaskelainen.

"Are you listening, Fabio?" was the cry from the stands, and on this display Sunderland's chief goal poacher just might be in with a shout of getting to South Africa.

SAFC: Gordon, Hutton, Ferdinand, Turner, Mensah (Zenden, 79), Malbranque (Benjani, 85), Campbell, Cana (C), Cattermole (Bardsley, 70), Bent, Jones.

Subs Not Used: Carson, McCartney, Da Silva, Kilgallon.

Booked: Cana (30), Bent (64).

Sent Off: None.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Robinson, Muamba (Weiss, 58), Elmander (Klasnic, 64), Gardner (Taylor, 73), Knight, Davies (C), Steinsson, Ricketts, Lee, Wilshere.

Subs Not Used: Samuel, Riga, O'Brien, Al-Habsi.

Booked: Ricketts (33), Lee (59).

Sent Off: Ricketts (74).