The stunning victory, just a week after Curzon ended the Wearsiders' 100 per cent record with a 2-2 draw, keeps Sunderland second in the Women's Premier League Northern Division, a point behind Lincoln with two games in hand.

Mick Mulhern's side now host Lincoln at Hetton this Sunday.

Sunderland yesterday showed their intentions from the off, grabbing the lead from Lucy Staniforth's third-minute left-wing corner which was headed back across goal by Natalie Gutteridge for Nicola Devine to head home.

Efforts from Sophie Williams, Kelly McDougall and Gutteridge were scrambled away before Sunderland hit a second goal on 15 minutes, Williams and McDougall exchanging passes before Gutteridge headed home.

Sunderland sealed victory with a devastating five-minute goal burst.

Williams headed Staniforth's cross over the advancing keeper on 24 minutes, then Gutteridge powered a header home two minutes later from another Staniforth centre.

The game was effectively over on 29 minutes following Abby Holmes' strong run from the back. She released Williams to run through and score with a shot across the goal into the bottom corner.

After Curzon rallied at the start of the second half, Sunderland stepped up a gear to score a sixth goal after 58 minutes. Lucy Bronze's strong run through the middle released Williams to go clear and complete her hat-trick.

Further efforts by Bronze, McDougall and Steph O'Brien were narrowly off target, but Sunderland scored again in the 74th minute when Greenwell's cross was volleyed home by McDougall.

Staniforth capped an impressive first start with an eighth goal on 79 minutes when she ran on to a through ball to strike firmly into the far corner.

The rout was complete three minutes later when Lynsey Fletcher broke down the right to feed Bronze, who crossed for O'Brien to flick towards goal, with Marsden only able to help the ball into her own net.

Boss Mulhern said: "It was a fantastic team performance and from back to front we did our jobs very well.

"Curzon couldn't cope with the flow and tempo of our game. We laid down a marker for everyone else in this league to see and it's up to us to maintain the high standards we have set for ourselves."

SUNDERLAND: Alderson, Holmes (Fletcher), Bannon, Wilson, Greenwell, Staniforth, Bronze, McDougall, Devine (O'Brien), Gutteridge (Danby), Williams. Sub: Riddell