Done deal as Jones celebrates with winner

Sunderland 1 Fulham 0

The Trinidad and Tobago international, who signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract earlier in the day, pounced on the loose ball after Mark Schwarzer had saved Djibril Cisse’s 55th-minute shot to edge a tight encounter.

The win, which came in front of a crowd of 36,539, eased the Black Cats further away from the drop zone and set them up perfectly for Sunday’s derby trip to Newcastle.

With little on show to warm a crowd which grew increasingly frustrated with the lack of quality on offer as both sides repeatedly squandered possession cheaply.

Sunderland re-emerged with greater purpose as the second half got under way, and Schwarzer had to come from his line to punch awayan Andy Reid cross after full-back John Pantsil had dived in unnecessarily.

The former Middlesbrough keeper came to his side’s rescue once again with 55 minutes gone, but this time the helping hand he needed was nowhere to be found.

Schwarzer managed to parry Cisse’s snapshot, but neither he nor any of his defenders could get to the rebound before Jones, who side-footed home from close range.

There would have been a much more relaxed atmosphere among the red-and-white contingent had Schwarzer not smothered Malbranque’s swerving 63rd-minute drive.

But Fulham’s big chance arrived five minutes later when Dempsey headed down Pantsil’s deep cross at the far post only for Simon Davies to lift his shot high over as Fulop came to meet him.

Malbranque could have killed the game off seconds later had Schwarzer not pulled off a fine reaction save.

Jones might have cemented the victory with a minute remaining but again Schwarzer kept him out.

SUNDERLAND: Fulop, Bardsley, Ferdinand, Collins, McCartney (McShane 70), Malbranque, Whitehead, Tainio (Leadbitter 81), Reid (Edwards 75), Cisse, Jones.

FULHAM: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies (Gera 76), Etuhu (Nevland 83), Murphy, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora.

Referee: Mark Halsey.