SUNDERLAND built last season's promotion campaign on their fine form at the Stadium of Light and, if last night's 3-1 win over Crewe is anything to go by, home comforts could be crucial to their latest Premiership push.

Goals from Carl Robinson, Marcus Stewart and Stephen Elliott enabled the Black Cats to put points on the board following Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Coventry and, while Mark Rivers briefly pulled Crewe level before the break, the home side should have run out even easier winners.

Chances might have been at a premium four days earlier but, on their own turf, Sunderland posed the kind of threat that suggests they should be capable of mounting another meaningful promotion bid.

They failed to kill the game off until the final minute - something that cost them on more than one occasion last season - but displayed an attacking verve that augurs well for the rest of the campaign.

Mick McCarthy still feels he needs another striker to supplement his existing resources but with Stewart and Elliott opening their accounts for the season, and Kevin Kyle looking back to his aggressive best, the Sunderland boss finds himself in charge of a forward line offering flexibility and firepower.

"We've got good players up front, but I'm operating with just three of them," admitted McCarthy. "If we are to progress then I'm still on the lookout for another striker.

"Kevin has done great for us, but he's still complaining of a sore hip and I don't know how he's going to be from one day to the next.

"Marcus has put his shift in and scored his goal, and Stephen's rounded things off with a great strike. The fans have taken to him already and I'm sure they'll continue to take him to their heart.

"I've been told we had 26 shots on goal and we could have run away with that game had we put all our chances away."

Kyle and skipper Gary Breen both passed late fitness tests, with McCarthy also naming Thomas Myhre, Stephen Caldwell and Liam Lawrence in his starting line-up following Saturday's late collapse.

Kyle replaced rookie striker Elliott, but could have been lining up alongside opposite number Dean Ashton had McCarthy followed up his tentative interest in the £2m rated striker earlier this summer.

Ashton displayed his sharpness by opening his account for the season against Cardiff last weekend, but should have doubled his tally in the sixth minute.

Arca's sloppy ball out of defence went straight to Rivers but, after he had put Ashton clear through, Myhre showed sharp reflexes to beat out the striker's low shot.

The Norwegian international showed no signs of rustiness despite appearing in just 56 minutes of Sunderland's pre-season schedule but, for most of the first half, he was reduced to the role of a spectator as the home side carved out a succession of chances.

Kyle had already sent a tame header into the hands of Ben Williams when he was fouled on the right touchline in the 12th minute and, when the resulting Lawrence free-kick was only half cleared, Robinson controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing a skidding half-volley that found the corner of the net.

Lawrence provided the genuine width that was missing at Coventry but, when the former Mansfield midfielder sent over another inviting cross ten minutes later, Stewart could only direct his header well wide of the target.

Kyle and Robinson both saw long-range drives easily dealt with by Williams, before Stewart and Lawrence combined to put Jeff Whitley clear, only for the former Man. City midfielder to side-foot wide with the goal at his mercy.

The visitors struggled to deal with any Sunderland player breaking from the deep and, after Anthony Tonkin had failed to track Arca's 39th-minute surge into the box, the Crewe defender appeared to make amends by chopping the Argentinian to the floor.

Referee Eddie Evans didn't think so, waving play on, and the Black Cats were made to rue his decision four minutes later when Crewe levelled. Arca allowed Ashton far too much space on the right-hand side and his low cross was turned in by Rivers at the back post.

Defensive diligence might not be Arca's forte, but his ability to get forward from the left-back position offers McCarthy's side an unorthodox attacking outlet that few sides at this level can boast.

John Oster flashed a long-range drive narrowly wide as Sunderland continued to dominate proceedings and, after spending most of the second half desperately clearing their lines, Crewe could have few complaints when the home side claimed the lead for a second time in the 67th minute.

Kyle's intelligent run down the left flank ended in a low driven cross, and Stewart finally found his range with a neat, close-range finish that gave Williams no chance.

"I'm angry," admitted the former Ipswich striker after the final whistle. "I'm very disappointed I didn't score more goals. I'd expect two or three from five chances - not one."

Arca almost added a third after another scintillating late break, but that honour was left to 20-year-old substitute Elliott who marked his first appearance at the Stadium of Light with his first goal in a Sunderland shirt.

The former Manchester City trainee still had plenty to do when he raced onto Stephen Wright's quick throw in, but he turned inside Tonkin as if he wasn't there and slipped the ball past the advancing Williams with commendable composure.

* Sunderland are expected to complete the signing of 20-year-old Dumbarton centre-half Neil Collins within the next 48 hours.

* Charlton have signed Arsenal striker Francis Jeffers to add to the capture of Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy.

Jeffers, 23, has signed a two-year contract after agreeing to move from the Premiership champions in a deal worth £2.6m.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley said: ''We are delighted that Francis has agreed to join Charlton.''

The signing last night came just hours after Murphy had joined the Addicks for £2.5m after agreeing a four-year deal at The Valley.

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