Blackburn Rovers 1-3 Sunderland: Jack Clarke scores twice as Black Cats beat Blackburn
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Jack Clarke's two goals against Blackburn takes his tally for the season so far to five
Jack Clarke scored twice to ensure an impressive 3-1 victory for Sunderland that handed former Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray a welcome return to Ewood Park.
The Black Cats claimed the win against a Blackburn side who opened the game with purpose.
Yet Rovers were made to pay after conceding a 27th-minute penalty which Clarke converted from the spot after being fouled by Ryan Hedges.
Harry Leonard equalised within a few minutes, before Daniel Neil restored the visitors' advantage right on half-time.
Clarke grabbed a third for Mowbray's side to end Blackburn's 15-year unbeaten run against Sunderland at Ewood Park.
Rovers were the stronger side early on, with a triple chance falling their way on 10 minutes.
Sammie Szmodics' snapshot was saved by Anthony Patterson. The rebound fell to Leonard, only for his attempt to be blocked, with the final effort falling to Andrew Moran, whose shot also failed to make its way through.
The hosts went close again just two minutes later when Lewis Travis sent in a cross for Leonard. Patterson was again quick to react, with Szmodics planting the rebound over.
Yet it was the visitors who opened the scoring against the run of play. Hedges brought down Clarke in the 27th minute, with the Sunderland man converting calmly from the resulting penalty, stroking his spot-kick straight down the middle.
Blackburn did not have to wait long to restore parity. Callum Brittain collected a loose 35th-minute ball from a defensive header and whipped a cross to the far post where Leonard was waiting to finish off the move.
Still, Sunderland regained their lead just before the break when Blackburn failed to clear a corner allowing Neil to rifle home a shot from the left side of the box, straight into the bottom right corner.
The Black Cats might have scored again soon after but Mason Burstow's right-footed shot from the left-hand side of the box was saved by Aynsley Pears.
At the other end, Blackburn came close to equalising on 70 minutes. Hayden Carter played the ball to Dilan Markanday, who switched the ball onto his left foot only to see his shot strike the outside of the far post.
Rovers' hopes were to end in the 78th minute when Clarke made a weaving run into the home team's box before despatching a fine shot from Alex Pritchard's pass to ensure the victory for the visitors.
Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I'm very disappointed with the result. With the chances we created we should have scored at least three or four goals in the first half.
"The way we created some big chances, we should have been out of sight. We played some excellent football. We gave three unnecessary goals away.
"In the second half I thought we started well and dominated and created chances again. It was crazy that we didn't get a result.
"I hated the result and I hate losing but there was entertaining football and a clear identity and the way we created chances, we just need to be more clinical, but we can't give goals away in the way that we did."
Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Newcastle:
"Everyone did their part - we played against a very talented team. We didn't get a kick for the first half hour, but over the 90 minutes it was an amazing effort and a reminder of what's required.
"Our best moments came from the transition of winning the ball in midfield. It's an amazing result against a team who will give so many people a lot of problems.
"I'm delighted for Jack Clarke - I was pretty unhappy with him for the first half an hour because of some of the stuff I wanted him to do and he wasn't really taking it on board. But what a footballer, what a talent.
"Everybody knows he is a threat, he carries the ball, he eliminates full-backs, he puts the ball into the box, he cuts inside and if you don't get out he will bend it into a corner.
"I am delighted with Jack. I think it is right to moan that the so-called flair players that they have to work really hard. I do think what ultimately gets us the result is the graft and the intensity of the team not just the individuality of the single players."