Nemeth bags derby day double as brilliant Boro sink Black Cats

Middlesbrough 3 Sunderland 0

The former Inter Bratislava front man struck after 16 minutes and then again on 66 after Massimo Maccarone had made it 2-0 before the break to send the home crowd home happy.

Jonathan Greening and Franck Queudrue set up Boro’s first attack, sending Maccarone into space down the left, where he was unceremoniously hauled to the ground by Matt Piper, although the yellow card the Sunderland man received was the only punishment when Michael Gray headed away Geremi’s free-kick. Robbie Stockdale joined Piper in Alan Wiley’s notebook for a scything 11th-minute challenge on Thomas Butler. , but the Scottish international could have put his side ahead two minutes later when he robbed Butler inside the Wearsiders’ penalty area but blasted his shot against Thomas Sorensen’s legs. The Teessiders went in front with 16 minutes gone, however, when Sorensen spilled Maccarone’s powerfully-struck long-range effort and Nemeth followed up to smash the rebound home.