Stokes and Wallace strike as Keane’s Black Cats purr

GOALS in each half from Ross Wallace and Anthony Stokes fired Roy Keane’s Premier League new boys Sunderland to an easy 2-0 win over Darlington at a rain-sodden TFM Arena.

Grant Leadbitter, debutant Greg Halford and Daryl Murphy had already gone close before Wallace fired in at the back post in the 12th minute after David Connolly’s dummy fooled the home defence.

Murphy missed a sharp chance to head in a rebound after Connolly’s shot was parried and Halford’s shot was then deflected narrowly over.