Sunderland and Luton Town have had some memorable meetings down the years: Five games to remember

With the Black Cats travelling to Kenilworth Road on Saturday, here are five of their best-ever battles against the Hatters.

Luton Town 0 Sunderland 5: May 6, 2007

A rollercoaster season back in the Championship came to a thrilling end for Sunderland, as results elsewhere also went their way. Relegated in May 2006, and in the second tier relegation zone in the early weeks of the new season, Roy Keane took over . . . and the Black Cats’ season took off.

By the final game of the campaign, Sunderland were guaranteed one of the Championship’s two automatic promotion spots, but were neck and neck in the title race with Birmingham City.

And while Birmingham were being beaten by Preston, Sunderland surged into a 2-0 half-time lead through Anthony Stokes and Darryl Murphy.

Better still was to come, with Murphy grabbing his second goal from close range, Ross Wallace scoring a long-range screamer and David Connolly’s header rounding off a famous win.

Sunderland 1 Luton Town 0: February 24, 1996

Another key game in a promotion campaign, this victory was when Black Cats fans started to believe that a top-flight return after five years was on.

Julian James’ 39th-minute own goal delivered a second straight home win at Roker Park in a run which would see Sunderland record nine successive victories in an incredible second half of the season.

While goals flowed at one end of the pitch, Peter Reid’s men turned seriously mean at the other, conceding just two goals in eight games as the promotion charge picked up pace.

Luton Town 3 Sunderland 4: May, 1 1974

The last game of the season following Sunderland’s FA Cup triumph saw a first half almost as memorable as their big day against Leeds at Wembley. Six goals were shared, with Luton pegging the Black Cats back three times.

Billy Hughes opened the scoring for Sunderland early on, before Jimmy Husband equalised for the Hatters. Tony Towers edged the visitors back in front, before Husband grabbed his second goal just past the half-hour mark.

Jackie Ashurst made it 3-2, only for the magnificently named Barry Butlin to equalise yet again.

And although the second half was more sedate, Vic Halom popped up 12 minutes from time to secure a victory which slightly sweetened the taste of just missing out to Carlisle United on promotion.

Sunderland 2 Luton Town 0: March 17, 1973

Over 53,000 packed into Roker Park as Sunderland welcomed Luton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. But an expectant crowd had to wait until eight minutes into the second half for Dave Watson to head their side in front from a corner.

Ron Guthrie then turned to volley the ball home from another corner to settle late nerves and send the Black Cats into a semi-final against Arsenal. The rest is history.

Sunderland 7 Luton Town 1: December 31, 1960

There was little sign of the goal rush to come as 40 relatively incident-free minutes passed before Ian Lawther put Sunderland ahead. But the second half sent the Black Cats storming into the New Year.

Stung by Gordon Turner’s 48th-minute equaliser for Luton, Jimmy Davidson and Charlie Hurley struck twice in three minutes to put the Black Cats in full charge. Willy McPheat made it 4-1 midway through the half, before Lawther struck again in the 71st and the 77th minutes to seal his hat-trick.

There was still time for Jimmy McNab to complete Luton’s misery and send Sunderland up into seventh place in the old Division Two.