Stewart ends the year on high for Wearsiders

The former Ipswich Town man added another two to his tally in the highly-charged victory at Rotherham United yesterday, to strengthen the Black Cats' hopes of promotion to the Premiership going into the New Year.

It is the eighth Division One match this season Stewart has found the net in and every time he has done so the three points have gone Sunderland's way.

Both strikes - the first a typical poacher's header, the second a coolly converted penalty - came in an 11-minute spell as the half-time whistle neared.

And nine-goal Stewart ensured that Sunderland extended their unbeaten run to seven matches and it sparked a Conga-led party in the away end of the Millmoor ground.

Stewart may not have been able to repeat the feat of the club's old No 10 Kevin Phillips, who hit four in a 5-1 FA Cup success on Sunderland's last trip to this unglamorous setting in 1998.

But his double brought to an end to Rotherham's eight-game stretch without defeat and it secured another win over the Christmas period - their third from as many games - to end 2003 on a high.

With midfielder Paul Thirlwell missing with a calf injury, McCarthy was forced to make just one change to the side which beat Bradford on Boxing Day.

Julio Arca, back after suspension, was recalled to the starting line-up as a left-midfielder - the position he had failed to perform in for over a year.

After the defeat to Stoke in early September, McCarthy insisted that he would not play the South American in that role again, but he clearly thought Arca would be able to reproduce his impressive form as a left-back further up the field and it was a decision which was vindicated.

Rotherham boss Ronnie Moore resisted the temptation to throw wonder-boy Will Hoskins in for his first start, despite two goals in the win at Wigan two days earlier which put the Millers seven points above the relegation zone.

The omens were always good for Sunderland. They had not lost at the old-fashioned Millmoor setting since September 1962 and their last League visit ended with them claiming the points in a 4-1 win 15 years ago.

But the signs were there from the first whistle that this was not going to be as one-sided as meetings between the two had been in the past.

Direct football has become a trademark of Rotherham's play under Moore and it has worked over the years as they have climbed from the lower echelons of the Third Division to respected also-rans in Division One.

And the tremendous travelling support from Wearside must have feared an aerial bombardment similar to that which West Ham exercised to full effect with the towering frame of Brian Deane earlier this month.

A lively start from both sides saw Rotherham striker Martin Butler head well wide when he was left free in the visitors' penalty area and at the opposite end goalkeeper Mike Pollitt comfortably saved John Oster's curling free-kick.

Sunderland's best spell of the half failed to find the vital breakthrough and it very nearly proved costly as Rotherham picked up the pace.

First, Gateshead-born skipper Chris Swailes' downward header was saved low to the left of Mart Poom and then the big Estonian keeper got down well to deny Paul Warne's right-foot shot.

Seconds later Warne, occupying a similar position on the left wing, had serious claims for a penalty turned down when his cross appeared to hit the hand of Oster in the area just before the half hour mark.

That was to prove a huge turning point in the game, as moments later Sunderland broke and took the first steps towards another crucial festive victory.

A corner was forced and, from Oster's kick, Stewart grabbed his first of the afternoon when he headed in from close range after Pollitt had stopped an initial header from Joachim Bjorklund.

Two Sunderland bookings - for George McCartney and Jason McAteer - and a double injury blow to Rotherham - Butler and Shaun Barker - were next as the away side began to take charge.

And, after Tommy Smith went close to turning Arca's cross beyond Pollitt, on 39 minutes Stewart doubled his side's lead from the spot.

Uncompromising Rotherham defender Guy Branston got himself in a pickle when he was caught out by the quick feet of Smith and the former Watford man, who failed to make the second half because of the tackle, was brought down.

Referee Chris Foy gave a penalty and Stewart stepped up to hit his fourth spot-kick of the campaign by sending former Sunderland keeper Pollitt the wrong way.

Now Rotherham's first defeat on home soil since October 25 was well and truly on the cards. Moore's men, and their fans, were becoming increasingly frustrated with the way Mr Foy was officiating the hot-tempered match; a booking for Chris Sedgwick for a crunching tackle on Arca was evidence of that.

But Sunderland kept their heads and the Argentinian went close with a curling left-foot shot from 25 yards before Stewart struck a powerful drive over the bar when the cross looked the better option.

Not even the introduction of 17-year-old Hoskins, who has scored 16 times for the youth team since August, could prevent Sunderland's third win in eight days.

Hoskins, a replacement for ineffective ex-Aston Villa forward Darren Byfield, had one good chance to reduce the arrears but the experience of Bjorklund halted his progress.

Result: Rotherham 0 Sunderland 2.

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