11 March 2010 / AP, LONDON
Darren Bent hit a hat trick on Tuesday to give Sunderland a 4-0 win over Bolton and its first Premier League victory since November.
Sunderland had slipped into danger of relegation after 14 matches without a win but went ahead after 44 seconds through Fraizer Campbell and sealed the victory with Bent’s three second-half goals. The win hoisted Sunderland to 13th place and six points above the three-team relegation zone. The Black Cats are 11 points ahead of last-place Portsmouth, which lost 2-1 to visiting Birmingham in Tuesday’s other match. Campbell scored from Lorik Cana’s early cross but it was his fellow former Tottenham striker who did most to earn a crucial victory. Bent made it 2-0 in the 64th minute when he outpaced defender Sam Ricketts and shot past goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, and stretched the advantage 10 minutes later by winning and converting a penalty.