FORMER Newcastle United bad-boy Craig Bellamy may no longer be pulling on the black and white shirt but the fiery striker still managed to pile the misery on his old club's arch-rivals Sunderland last night.

Bellamy's clinical double for Blackburn Rovers proved sufficient to condemn the Black Cats to their 20th Premiership defeat from 26 matches since returning to the top-flight last summer.

Once again there had been plenty of encouraging signs for Sunderland in the opening half but it was the Welshman, who controversially turned to the visiting fans and punched the air with his two fists after his first goal, who put Rovers on the road to victory.

For the Sunderland supporters who had taken up the offer of free coach travel - a goodwill gesture after this game was postponed in December just over an hour before kick-off - there was to be no third away victory to cheer.

And that was largely down to how cheaply the opening goal was given away, with Bellamy making the most of some hesitancy between Gary Breen and Kelvin Davis to edge Blackburn in front seven minutes before the break.

From that point Sunderland, whose work-rate could not be questioned, never looked like building on the point gained against Tottenham and remain a staggering 16 points shy of safety with 12 games remaining.

Despite the paucity of goals scored by Sunderland's strikers, McCarthy in the end opted against rewarding Daryl Murphy for scoring a late equaliser against Tottenham with a start at Ewood.

And, with a combined total of more than 2,500 minutes of Premiership football without scoring, he also broke up the strike-pairing of Jon Stead and Kevin Kyle by opting to pack the midfield with five men.

McCarthy, choosing to hand youngster Grant Leadbitter his first Premiership start in the midfield role, wanted to see plenty of forward runs from Tommy Miller and Dean Whitehead and that had been the case until Bellamy's intervention.

Blackburn, with Sunderland-born Michael Gray playing against his old club for the first time since leaving in 2003, had seen their hopes of claiming a UEFA Cup place nose-dive in recent weeks after defeats to Everton and West Brom. But, with last night's opponents coming to terms with the fact relegation is all but a formality, Mark Hughes' men viewed this as the perfect place to recapture the sort of form that put them in the mix for a European spot in the first place.

Despite the number of Sunderland bodies in the middle of the pitch, Blackburn's midfield quartet enjoyed plenty of possession and initially linked up well with frontman Florent Sinama-Pongolle.

It was Sinama-Pongolle, on loan from Liverpool and someone who arrived in the Premiership from France with Anthony le Tallec, who should have opened the scoring.

But his right-foot volley, after Breen's weak clearance, flew wide.

A crisp interchange of passing from Blackburn resulted in Bellamy rolling a shot from 20 yards into the hands of Davis, and Sunderland responded by enjoying a promising spell.

Had the visitors been more confident in the final third, a surprise opener could have fallen their way.

Julio Arca, with a wayward volley, and Kyle, with a downward header straight at Brad Friedel, had gone close before a fantastic move down the right flank went unrewarded.

Miller's burst from midfield past two Blackburn players created space for Nyron Nosworthy.

But, with Kyle unmarked at the back post, Nosworthy was caught in two minds and failed to deliver either a goal or the cross that would have picked out the Scotsman.

Sunderland's bright patch must have given McCarthy plenty encouragement but, having endured a season like he has, it must have come as no shock to see Blackburn manage to go into half-time in front. And, like so many of the other 47 goals Sunderland have conceded in the league this season, there was nothing sensational about the way Blackburn scored it.

An effort from Pedersen deflected off Nosworthy and bounced harmlessly towards Davis' goal. The former Ipswich goalkeeper got in a mix-up with skipper Breen and Bellamy was on hand to tap into the net at the back post.

Sunderland did battle until the end but it was Blackburn, with Bellamy's pace always a nuisance, who continued to create the chances.

Davis had to make stops from midfielder Steven Reid's head and a Pedersen free-kick before he stood no chance with Bellamy's second and his 11th since moving from St James' Park.

This time the £5m buy from Newcastle - who also crashed a stinging, late drive against the post - casually met a pinpoint cross from Sergio Peter with a precise header into Davis' right corner.

Sunderland threw on Murphy and Stead, who came within inches of connecting to a cross at the back post for his first goal for the club.

But the three-pronged attack could not stop Sunderland slipping to another reversal as they plummet towards the Championship.

Result: Blackburn Rovers 2, Sunderland 0.

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