IF PREMIERSHIP football really is more boring and predictable than ever, perhaps somebody should tell Sunderland.

In a North-East derby that bristled with excitement and frayed nerves, Mick McCarthy's men beat local rivals Middlesbrough to end a 28-game wait for a Premiership win and silence the critics who were citing their early-season struggle as evidence of football's lack of surprises.

On World Heart Day, the vibrancy of Sunderland's attacks produced one of the biggest shocks of the season. For their beleaguered opponents, a campaign that started with such optimism has already slipped into a worryingly familiar vein. No goals, and no real suggestion that they were going to create any either.

But, for all of Middlesbrough's shortcomings, it was the Black Cats' enterprise and belief that ultimately ended the worst run of form in Premiership history.

When Michael Proctor scored the winner against Liverpool in December 2002, few would have believed that it would be almost three years and 27 long games until Sunderland next tasted success in the top-flight.

Few would have believed that yesterday was going to end that run either, despite Tommy Miller's second-minute opener sparking a rip-roaring derby into life. Last weekend, the Wearsiders failed to beat West Brom despite leading with 89 seconds on the clock. Surely expecting them to last 89 minutes was asking too much?

Yet, with Middlesbrough lacking both ideas and urgency, Sunderland deservedly doubled their advantage through Julio Arca's deft second-half free-kick before calmly seeing out the final half-hour.

While West Brom had piled body after body into the box to exploit the Black Cats' edginess, a soporific Boro struggled to create a meaningful opportunity after going two behind.

So, while Sunderland's fans were understandably incredulous at the final whistle, Middlesbrough's supporters could not believe what they were watching either. McClaren might have assembled one of the most talented squads in the club's history but, without the requisite urgency and desire, the likes of Yakubu and Fabio Rochemback were made to resemble expensive white elephants. Nice to look at, but utterly impractical.

Sunderland's players, on the other hand, bristled with intent and, while the next 31 games will include some far tougher tests, yesterday's win underlined the unwavering belief within McCarthy's squad.

Hard work alone will not secure Premiership survival but, allied to the obvious ability that exists on Wearside, it will give the Black Cats a fighting chance.

While the footballing world falls over itself to embrace the current trend for five-man midfields, both Steve McClaren and McCarthy plumped for more attacking formations yesterday.

The Boro boss would have been expected to pair Yakubu with Mark Viduka, but it was to his Sunderland counterpart's credit that he pushed Stephen Elliott alongside Andy Gray in an attempt to instil some urgency into his side's play.

And McCarthy's adventure reaped immediate reward as his side gained a shock lead inside the opening 85 seconds of the game. The value of fielding two orthodox centre-forwards was clear to see as both Elliott and Gray played a hand in Miller's opener.

Gray's strength enabled him to flick Kelvin Davis' long clearance into the midfielder's path and, while Elliott failed to make the most of the resultant lay-off, his poor first touch proved a godsend.

A startled Gareth Southgate could only prod the ball back into Miller's path and the former Hartlepool playmaker clinically dispatched an instinctive first-time strike into the net off the base of the left-hand post.

The frantic opening prefaced a predictably hectic first half in which both sides attacked with abandon and defended in an equally carefree manner. If Premier League officials really are serious about increasing entertainment, perhaps they should schedule a North-East derby every week.

Buoyed by their early opener, Sunderland were plagued by none of the hesitancy that has hindered their return to the top-flight and Arca, in particular, seemed to relish ridding himself of his defensive shackles.

The Argentinian has been something of a subdued figure this season but, given a license to push on down the left flank, it did not take long for his silky skills and languid delivery to return.

Two of his centres narrowly failed to find the head of Gray, while his awareness helped Christian Bassila break forward menacingly in the 15th minute, only for the Frenchman to over-hit his pass to the unmarked Elliott.

Adventure, though, can be a double-edged sword and, as the season's first regional skirmish wore on, Sunderland's ambition looked like providing Boro with their best route back into it.

The dangers of the visitors' over-commitment had been clear when Viduka wasted Yakubu's incisive pull-back with the clumsiest of air kicks, and it almost became even more costly on the half-hour mark.

A slick passing move that also included George Boateng and Viduka ended with the otherwise under-whelming Rochemback sliding a precise through ball into the path of the onrushing James Morrison.

A goal looked certain as the youngster bore down on the six-yard box but, with impressive agility, Davis somehow palmed his shot away with a wonderful low save to his right.

His reflex stop from Boateng on the stroke of half-time was even better, as he overcame a host of bodies in the penalty area to parry the midfielder's 20-yard drive after Sunderland's defence had failed to react to Rochemback's short free-kick.

The former Ipswich stopper has been rightly criticised for his costly mistakes against both Wigan and West Brom this season - yesterday's display finally began to redress the balance.

With Davis proving an impenetrable obstacle, Middlesbrough's second-half attacking became increasingly desperate and, as a result, increasingly disjointed.

Viduka curled over from the edge of the area with Sunderland temporarily reduced to nine men - both Bassila and Nyron Nosworthy needed attention after a clash of heads - but it was Boro's players who were left to lick their wounds after Arca doubled the visitors' advantage on the hour mark.

Referee Howard Webb controversially penalised Gareth Southgate for a foul on Elliott, despite his linesman flagging Gray offside, and the South American curled the resultant free-kick into the top right-hand corner. Middlesbrough's players might have argued otherwise, but it was no more than Sunderland's dominant display deserved.

Facing a two-goal deficit, McClaren introduced the fit-again Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink but, with Gary Breen winning header after header at the heart of the Black Cats' defence, Middlesbrough's attacking lacked both invention and incision.

Davis furnished his display with a third world-class save in stoppage-time - keeping out Boateng's low drive with a full-length stop - but, by then, the game was over.

Excitement and surprises in equal measure - much more of this and, like Sunderland's, the Premiership's crisis will be over.

Result: Middlesbrough 0, Sunderland 2.

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