Bent hits late winner for Sunderland

LONDON (SE) - Darren Bent converted a controversial penalty four minutes into stoppage time to earn Sunderland a 1-0 win over Roberto Mancini's expensively-assembled Manchester City.

Bent earned the penalty himself being fouled by City defender Micah Richards and then despatching the spot kick beyond goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Mancini was in a state of shock when the match ended seconds later, furious with the decision and the defeat.

Mancini said: "I cannot believe this was a penalty. My defender was entitled to jump for the ball but the referee decides this is a foul. I do not understand why.

"But I am disappointed to lose because I believe we are the better side and had many chances to win before the penalty."

Mancini was almost certainly referring to the horror miss by Carlos Tevez in the 16th minute, a contender already for the miss-of-the-season.

Yaya Toure put the Argentine clear but with the goal at his mercy, Tevez, who is normally so lethal, somehow contrived to shoot wide.

Mancini could also point to two outstanding saves from Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet as a reason for going home empty-handed.

In the 44th minute, new signing James Milner took a free-kick which seemed certain to provide Toure with his first Premier League goal but from six yards, Mignolet somehow kept it out.

The second of his saves came in the 77th minute when Richards headed down to substitute Emmanuel Adebayor who from close range drew another reflex block from Mignolet.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce recalled Lee Cattermole and Michael Turner from suspension but Turner got only as far as the interval before he was replaced.

Bruce, unhappy with his team's sluggish performance in the first half, sent on Danny Welbeck and David Bardsley in place of Turner and the injured Fraizer Campbell.

Welbeck almost responded with two goals, the first from a header just wide and then from a shot which flew narrowly over the bar from inside the area.

Mancini sent on Adebayor in the 73rd minute in place of defender Joleon Lescott as he sensed Sunderland were beginning to struggle, but then came Bent's unexpected winner.

Bruce was convinced the penalty award was correct and that Sunderland had deserved to win.

Bruce said: "Micah Richards was climbing all over Darren and I thought it was a penalty but some referees would not have given that so late in the game. Fair play to him.

"I was not too happy with our first-half performance and Manchester City had one or two really good chances.

"But we weathered the storm and young Danny might have put us in front on a couple of occasions before we got the winner.

"What pleased me was a clean sheet against a very good Manchester City side with a lot of top-class players in their side.

"I hope this win will give our confidence a bit of a boost because it was a cracking result."