Sunderland 0-4 Middlesbrough: Boro thump 10-man Black Cats in derby

Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil was sent off by referee Jarred Gillett in first-half injury time

Middlesbrough claimed bragging rights in the Wear-Tees derby with their biggest away victory over Sunderland.

Second-half goals from Leeds United loanee Sam Greenwood, Matt Crooks, Isaiah Jones and Marcus Forss made it four successive wins for Boro as they continued their recovery from a poor start to the season.

The turning point came in first-half injury time when Black Cats midfielder Dan Neil was sent off for a second yellow card offence.

The home team could not cope without him as they slipped to a fourth loss of the season, although they remain in the top six.

These two had been losing Championship play-off semi-finalists last year, and have been starting to find form after slow starts to this campaign.

Roared on by another large Stadium of Light crowd - 43,584 - Patrick Roberts was close to putting Sunderland in front after a thrilling run, only for the outstretched boot of Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng to keep his effort out.

But Middlesbrough showed ambitions of their own as Greenwood's effort was parried by Anthony Patterson and it needed desperate defending from Dan Ballard to prevent Josh Coburn from turning in the rebound.

However, the complexion of the game changed when Neil received a second yellow for dissent to referee Jarred Gillett, having earlier been booked for a foul on Coburn.

With tempers still boiling, Ballard reacted angrily to an aerial challenge from Coburn and the half-time whistle sounded with players pushing and shoving.

Boro boss Michael Carrick had to come on to the pitch to keep his players out of trouble with the end result being bookings for both Ballard and Coburn.

Matt Crooks grabbed his second of the season as Middlesbrough scored four second-half goals at the Stadium of Light

Boro enjoy second-half romp

With an extra man after the break, the Teessiders took control and Patterson made a wonderful save to deny Crooks at close range.

But a goal was coming and two in three minutes effectively sealed the game just before the hour.

First, Greenwood - a Sunderland boy and former academy player with them - flashed in his first Middlesbrough goal with a fine first-time finish, before Jones put one on a plate for Crooks to double the lead.

Jones slotted in a third to cap a fine individual display, before substitute Forss grabbed a late fourth as Sunderland's afternoon got progressively worse.

Boro continue to pick up momentum. After beginning with one point from a possible 18, they have taken 13 out of the last 15 as they begin to climb the table with aspirations of repeating last season's fourth place.

Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Newcastle:

"In the referees' meeting before the game that the managers have to go to these days, the referee was talking about empathetically managing the game. Wow.

"A derby, over 40,000 people, and he gives a red card for gesticulating at him. That seems pretty harsh to me.

"Then, when you play against a football team with a man down, it's really difficult, as they pick the right pass. I see it as a learning curve for us."

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick told BBC Radio Tees:

"We were calm second half, but we had the right mentality. The boys approached it really well, really aggressive, we kept pressing, we kept regaining the ball.

"These games and these atmospheres tend to throw something up and it's how you deal with it.

"Last season, it went in their favour, this year you could say it's gone in our favour but I'm more pleased with how we approached the second half and were ruthless."

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