Poyet: Best ref call ever

Sunderland 4 Cardiff 0

The 46-year-old Uruguayan was full of praise for match official Phil Dowd, who sent off Cardiff defender Juan Cala and awarded a penalty after initially allowing play to continue. Poyet believes the decision was a direct result of the debate sparked by West Ham midfielder Matt Jarvis’s attempts to stay on his feet under the challenge of Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna earlier this month, which ultimately went unrewarded.

The Sunderland head coach said: “It’s the best decision I have ever seen from a referee in my life, simple as that.

“If we really want to stop players going down easily, this is the way, so all the credit to Phil today because he did what we all wanted, but it was for some reason not possible.

“Definitely Jarvis helped us a lot because after that incident with Jarvis, we have been talking about these actions for the last two weeks.”

Dowd’s decision on the stroke of half-time proved pivotal, although by that point, the Black Cats were already ahead. Connor Wickham set the ball rolling when he headed Sebastian Larsson’s 26th-minute corner home for his fourth goal in three games, and it was he who prompted Cala’s premature departure. The 21-year-old pounced on defender Cala’s error only to be hauled back and after Dowd had played an advantage which did not accrue, he pointed to the spot and issued a red card.

Fabio Borini converted and the Black Cats never looked back. Emanuele Giaccherini added a third 14 minutes from time before Wickham claimed his second at the death from Giaccherini’s corner.

SUNDERLAND: Mannone, Vergini, O’Shea, Brown, Alonso, Larsson (Giaccherini 73), Cattermole, Colback (Bridcutt 84), Johnson (Gardner 84), Wickham, Borini.

Subs not used: Bardsley, Altidore, Scocco, Ustari.

CARDIFF: Marshall, Theophile-Catherine, Caulker, Cala, Da Silva (Jones 64), Medel, Cowie (Zaha 46), Mutch, Whittingham, Daehli, Campbell (Bellamy 74).

Subs not used: Turner, Eikrem, Lewis, John.

Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).