Six points from a possible twelve on home soil, while that total hardly reflects a side struggling against relegation it also does little to suggest the Stadium of Light has become a fortress.

It is the latter which manager Roy Keane has been looking to deliver on Wearside but, after failing to seriously threaten goalkeeper Brad Friedel, Blackburn left the home side nursing their wounds.

Defensively Sunderland have been sound in recent weeks, that was not the case here.

And Danny Higginbotham, who had proven to be an astute signing until today, was the main culprit.

It would be unfair to suggest this defeat lies purely at his feet when those around him could have had the game won by half time.

But Higginbotham, a graduate of the Manchester United academy, will know that mistakes at Premier League level are a no no - particularly those of this nature.

Having already witnessed Roque Santa Cruz waltz through the Sunderland half before shooting against the defender, leaving David Bentley to hammer home the opener 9 minutes after half time. Worse followed.

Seconds later Higginbotham's weak back pass allowed Brett Emmerton to be beat Craig Gordon to the ball.

Gordon initially denied the Aussie but Emmerton's quick thinking ensured he headed it to the feet of Santa Cruz.

The South American had the simple task of putting Blackburn two to the good.

Keane might have tried to change things, making three substitutions ten minutes later, but the damage had been done.

Worryingly, despite the prescence of Kenwine Jones up front, Sunderland found it hard to outmuscle the Blackburn defence which is by no means the best in the league.

And while Rovers had established themselves to be a decent outfit under Mark Hughes, they are by far Champions League material and it is that standard Keane is looking to match.

On the evidence of this, despite Grant Leadbitter's precise late strike from 20 yards, the Irishman still has a long way to go.

With away days at Arsenal and West Ham scheduled before the visit of Fulham on October 27th, it is going to be difficult to pull in points.

That is a must, though, if confidence is going to be high when Newcastle make their eagerly awaited trip to their North East neighbours on November 10th.