Sunderland beaten at home

Sunderland 1 Charlton 3

Darren Bent dealt sloppy Sunderland a warning of difficult times ahead as 10-man Charlton wrecked the home side’s Premiership homecoming party at the Stadium of Light.

Bent’s debut double proved his move from Ipswich was money well spent for Alan Curbishley’s bright and breezy Addicks who thoroughly deserved their win.

They made light of Darren Ambrose’s 55th-minute red card for a clattering challenge on Stephen Wright and Bent’s second deep into injury-time sparked jubilation among the small band of travelling fans.

For Sunderland, Bent’s clinical finish was a chilling reminder of the difference between the top flight and the second tier which they breezed through last season.

The home side could have been dead and buried inside the first half hour and were always chasing the game after Bent’s 11th-minute opener.

Andy Gray’s goal on the half hour against the run of play gave the home side some hope of clawing their way back but Danny Murphy’s 64th-minute free-kick made a revival short-lived.

Right from the first whistle the visitors had taken advantage of some abject defending to create chances galore.

Both sides had four new summer signings on show and the visitors were gelling much more impressively with Bent presenting a constant threat up front.

Julio Arca was being turned inside out by the pacy Dennis Rommedahl down the Sunderland right and the home cause was not helped by an early-season attack of jitters at the back.

Carl Robinson’s wayward sixth-minute back-pass almost let in the lurking Bent before Steven Caldwell got back to sweep the ball back to debut keeper Kelvin Davis.

Alexei Smertin drove a rising effort just over in the eighth minute after Chris Powell’s deep cross was only partially cleared into the Russian’s path by Gary Breen.

And it was entirely unsurprising when the visitors broke the deadlock in the 11th minute, Bent charging onto Ambrose’s superb lofted through-ball where he drew Davis and eventually slotted the ball past him into the bottom corner.

The home side responded well boosted by the encouraging form of wide man Andy Welsh, who almost found the head of Jonathan Stead in the 13th minute.

But the home side’s alarming defensive frailty surfaced again in the 15th minute when Murphy missed the simplest of chances to extend Charlton’s lead, nodding a free header over the bar from point-blank range from Rommedahl’s cross.

Smertin shot into the side-netting and Herman Hreidarsson headed just wide as Sunderland’s Premiership return quickly threatened to turn sour.

Charlton again came close to extending their lead on the half-hour when Murphy pulled the ball back to Smertin and his driven shot was superbly finger-tipped onto the bar by Davis.

Having ridden their luck Sunderland took advantage by immediately clawing their way back on level terms at the other end.

Dean Whitehead met Welsh’s cross from the left with a low shot which was well parried by visiting keeper Stephan Andersen, but the ball dropped kindly for Gray to sweep home from close range.

Despite Sunderland having wrested back the initiative, the visitors came out for the second half in much the same way as they had the first, and Ambrose shot wide seconds after the restart.

Even Ambrose’s dismissal in the 55th minute for a clattering challenge on Stephen Wright failed to ignite Sunderland who allowed their opponents far too much space and time in the centre.

Instead with the exception of Welsh’s persistent threat, Charlton continued to create the cleaner chances. Hermann Hreidarsson forced a fine save out of Davis before Whitehead’s foul on Jerome Thomas set up the Addicks’ delicious second.

Murphy stepped up and lofted a delicious 25-yard free-kick over the Sunderland wall and straight into the top corner of the helpless Davis’ net.

Sunderland pressed forward with increasing desperation in the final 20 minutes with Julio Arca driving straight into Andersen’s arms, then hitting a cross which dribbled right across the face of goal.

But Bent’s second ensured the home side were left empty-handed.