Bent hits winner for Sunderland

Aug 15, 2009 - 6:22 PM By MICK ROBERTS STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Darren Bent repaid a big chunk of his 17 million pounds transfer fee by scoring the only goal as his new club Sunderland beat Bolton 1-0 at the Reebok with his early strike.

Bent, frozen out at Tottenham, promised plenty more goals to come after Sunderland had held out against some fierce late Bolton pressure.

Bent said: "It was a great way to start my career at Sunderland but it was more important that we won.

"I have to say it was even better to score after only five minutes because it was a weight off my shoulders to some extent.

"The Sunderland fans got right behind me and it is nice to be playing again in a happy environment."

Bent's partnership with Kenwyne Jones was the key to Sunderland's first half dominance and there might have been many more than the one goal in a one-sided first half.

Bent said: "Kenwyne and I set each other for a couple and we should have been well in front by half time. But at 1-0 there is always a chance for the opposition."

Bent's verdict was endorsed by Sunderland manager Steve Bruce who endured some heart-stopping moments as Bolton surged on to the offensive.

Bruce said: "We should have been out of sight by half time. I can't remember a Premier League match being so much on top.

"But in the end it was our goalkeeper Marton Fulop who was our match winner with two fantastic saves.

"Even so, we had four or five wonderful chances in the first half and should have killed them off long before Fulop had to do his stuff."

Johan Elmander, who scored only five goals last season and failed to justify his nine million pounds price tag, might have put Bolton ahead in the third minute but failed to convert a Kevin Davies flick on.

Then Bent headed home powerfully his 99th league goal and Bolton were kept in contention only by a succession of top class saves from Jussi Jaaskelainen to deny Jones, Bent and Keiran Richardson.

It was a different story after the break as Bolton at last found life and purpose and Fulop, playing only because of injury to first choice Craig Gordon, somehow kept out a looping header from Kevin Davies in the 73rd minute.

But the point-earning save was reserved for the dying seconds when a centre from newcomer Sam Ricketts found its way to Davies who seemed certain to score until Fulop made a superb intervention.

Bolton manager Gary Megson said: "We were poor in the first half and we could have been buried by half time. I don't know why this was the case.

"But we changed a few things around at half time and we were much improved. In the end only a couple of great saves stopped us getting a draw and I felt we might even have done enough to win."