Bent show aids Spurs defeat

Darren Bent scored two goals and missed two penalties as Sunderland won 3-1 against Tottenham.

Mixed fortunes for Sunderland striker against his old club

Darren Bent was the centre of attention as he scored two goals and missed two penalties as Sunderland beat Tottenham 3-1 in an incident-packed encounter at the Stadium of Light. The hosts were awarded an incredible three penalties over the course of the game, with Bent taking all three after handing Sunderland a first minute lead against his old club. The £10million summer signing stabbed in the rebound after Fraizer Campbell had stung the hands of Heurelho Gomes with a diving header with Sunderland earning an immediate corner from kick-off. Shortly before the half-hour mark, Kyle Walker was penalised for a handball and Bent stepped up to score from the spot in the first of his three penalties, finding the bottom corner of Gomes' goal. The hosts were then awarded their second penalty 10 minutes later as Campbell went down under the outstretched leg of Spurs midfielder Luca Modric but this time Gomes prevented Bent with a fine one-handed save at full stretch. Moments after the hour mark, referee Lee Mason handed the Black Cats yet another chance to increase their lead from the spot as Wilson Palacios was adjudged to have brought down David Meyler. This time, Gomes guessed right again and tipped Bent's spot-kick onto the post with the rebound bouncing harmlessly into the keeper's arms to the disbelief of England World Cup hopeful Bent. The hosts looked like they may pay for Bent's misses soon after as substitute Peter Crouch nodded in moments after coming off the bench to set up a nervy finale. Tottenham piled on the pressure, but Sunderland remained a threat on the break and four minutes from time Boudewijn Zenden put the points beyond doubt as he spectacularly volleyed in the inspirational Jordon Henderson's pinpoint cross.

Instincts

The game was just 34 seconds old when Bent's predatory instincts came to the fore, pouncing on the loose ball after Campbell's header was saved from Kieran Richardson's corner. Inevitably, his strike came in front of the travelling supporters packed in behind Gomes' goal, and they were given a second chance to witness his potency with the game just 29 minutes old. This time, it was Steed Malbranque who tested the keeper from the edge of the box, and although he was up to the task, full-back Walker handled as he attempted to mop up and Mason pointed straight to the spot. Bent thumped the ball low to Gomes' right to establish a 2-0 lead, and he should have completed his hat-trick four minutes before the break. Campbell surged into the box from the right and went over Modric's stray leg, and again Mason was convinced, although the penalty award looked generous. This time, Bent went to the keeper's left and Gomes got across well to turn his effort away, much to the delight of the beleaguered Spurs fans behind the goal. Sunderland were worth their half-time advantage after enjoying much the better of the opening 45 minutes with strikers Roman Pavlyuchenko and Eidur Gudjohnsen seeing little of the ball. Their only effort of any note came when winger David Bentley met Gareth Bale's cross with a downward header, but Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon was equal to the task. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp made a double change at the break when he replaced Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Bentley with Niko Kranjcar and Jermain Defoe.

Changes

The changes would have paid dividends within five minutes had it not been for Gordon's continuing run of excellent form. Defoe broke free and attempted to beat the keeper with the outside of his right foot, but the £9million man stood tall to block his effort. Gordon then turned Bale's flicked header from the resulting corner over the bar, but the impetus was firmly with the visitors. Defoe did beat the keeper, but also the far post, with a 54th-minute shot across the face of goal, and Modric forced a good save six minutes later. But the home side should have had the points sewn up when they were awarded a third penalty for Palacios' trip on Meyler. Bent, who was berated by Bruce earlier in the season for allowing strike-partner Kenwyne Jones to take a spot-kick, this time rejected Malbranque's appeals, only to see Gomes save again with the help of his right post. Crouch replaced Pavlyuchenko with 19 minutes remaining and made his mark within seconds, heading home Kranjcar's cross as the home side's appeals for a foul were waved away. Bruce replaced Bent with Jones 12 minutes from time, and the substitute should really have made it 3-1, but completely missed his kick in front of goal after being picked out by Campbell, and Zenden's follow-up was cleared off the line by Younes Kaboul. But the Dutchman, who had come on for Malbranque with 12 minutes remaining, was not to be denied a second time as he guided an exquisite late volley into the top corner.

Sunderland	Team Statistics	Tottenham Hotspur
3	Goals	1
2	1st Half Goals	0
11	Shots on Target	7
1	Shots off Target	4
2	Blocked Shots	3
6	Corners	6
18	Fouls	16
2	Offsides	2
2	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
70.9	Passing Success	67.7
26	Tackles	16
57.7	Tackles Success	87.5
54.4	Possession	45.6
52.1	Territorial Advantage	47.9