Sunderland produce stunning performance to win by FIVE against Southampton

Sunderland swept to a remarkable 5-0 win over Southampton as they begin to build some real momentum in their Championship campaign.

Russell Martin's side had come into the contest unbeaten so far but they found themselves two goals behidn inside ten minutes as Jack Clarke and Pierre Ekwah struck.

Another goal from Ekwah and a first strike in red-and-white for Bradley Dack either side of half time secured an emphatic and deserved win for Tony Mowbray's side, who cut through their talented opposition at will.

Southampton did create some big opportunities in the second half and particularly through the impressive Che Adams, but it was an impressive performance of both discipline and then quality from Sunderland.

There was even a first league goal for Chris Rigg to add gloss to the result just moments from time.

Sunderland's fast start was all the more remarkable given that their first act of the game was to play Southampton into a dangerous area, the visitors forcing an immediate corner. From there, though, Sunderland cleared their lines well and an early ball over the top somehow caught the visiting defence out entirely. Ba did well to race onto it and keep it, shifting it out wide to Trai Hume who floated an early cross to the back post. Jack Clarke wasn't tracked, and nodded the ball past Bazunu.

Barely 70 seconds were on the clock and within seven minutes, it was too. Ba was again involved, this time working the ball from the right flank into the feet of Pierre Ekwah. The midfielder took one touch to get the ball out from under his feet and then rifled an effort past Bazunu.

Southampton were dominating the ball and after that second goal Sunderland did have to ride a spell of pressure, a Manning free kick forcing the first save from Patterson before Smallbone fired an effort into the side netting when a corner broke for him on the edge. The lively Samuel Edozie then missed the best chance of the lot, pouncing on a loose pass but then dragging his effort wide from a good position.

At that stage the hosts looked vulnerable but to their credit steadied, gifting up much of the ball but keeping it well away from their goal and picking their moments to try and break. As half time approached, they began to have more efforts of their own. Dack's free kick, won by another driving Clarke run, was well saved by Bazunu but Cirkin was just unable to connect with the follow up.

Before long, Ekwah would indeed make it three. This one was genuinely brilliant, winning the ball in midfield and then dancing past his closest marker. As everyone expected the pass out wide, he spun back inside and caught Bazunu off guard with an opportunistic effort.

Russell Martin made two half-time substitutions but it was actually the hosts who stepped up a gear, immediately playing the better football in the early stages of the half. They were rewarded within minutes, Bazunu initially making an excellent save to deny Dack after clever play from Clarke and Cirkin. It was Ba who reacted quickest, though, driving the ball back into a dangerous area where this time Dack was never going to miss. It was almost five when Cirkin and Clarke again combined to break quickly, but this time Bazunu was just able to deny the latter from close range.

Southampton began belatedly to show signs of life as half-time substitute Che Adams grew in influence, Holgate and Mara both heading over from promising positions in the box.

Mowbray responded by turning to Pritchard and Hemir and the latter almost scored when his effort was deflected wide, the two sides trading chances as Adams then headed wide from a corner at close range.

Hemir almost added the fifth when another crunching Ekwah challenge and a Neil through ball set him away, but Bazunu was just about able to turn the ball wide.

Sunderland weren't done there, though, as susbsitute Bennette produced a brilliant individual assist, spinning away from two markers before standing up a cross ot the back post. Fellow substitute Chris Rigg beat his marker, heading past Bazunu to complete a remarkable afternoon.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O'Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Ekwah; Ba (Rigg, 81), Jobe (Hemir, 63), Clarke (Bennette, 81); Dack (Pritchard, 63)

Subs: Bishop, Huggins, Taylor, Seelt, Triantis

Southampton XI: Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Holgate (Charles, 63), Bednarek, Manning; Smallbone (Alcaraz, 81) , S Armstrong (Adams, 45), Downes; Edozie (Fraser, 45), Mara (Aribo, 71), Armstrong

Subs: McCarthy, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Amo-Amey

Bookings: Mara, 34 Ba, 38 O'Nien, 42 Adams, 68

Attendance: 41,459