Super sub David Nugent clambered off the bench to sink Sunderland with a stunning late double and keep Burnley's proud 100% home record intact.

Nugent, a last-gasp deadline day loan signing from Portsmouth, rose to meet Wade Elliott's pin-point cross in the 67th minute to head home the Clarets' second.

Four minutes from time the in-form front man struck again as he turned on another neat ball from Elliott in the box and curled a super shot past Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Nugent had been thrown on in the 58th minute by Clarets boss Owen Coyle who scented the chance for his side to add to previous home wins over Manchester United and Everton.

And Coyle's men richly deserved to take three more points from an entertaining encounter in which Graham Alexander's penalty opener had been cancelled out by Darren Bent.

Steve Bruce's men had looked strong from the start with Fraizer Campbell in particular causing problems with a couple of early crosses testing the home defence.

Steven Fletcher had Burnley's first chance in the 11th minute when he gathered the ball from Clarke Carlisle and rammed a rising left-foot shot over the crossbar from the edge of the box.

Alexander was served up the chance to fire home the 12th minute spot-kick after Anton Ferdinand was guilty of needlessly tripping the impressive Elliott in the box.

Burnley came close to adding a second in the 19th minute when Alexander caught the Black Cats defence sleeping at a set-piece and Martin Paterson almost stole in at the far post.

Andre Bikey's hesitation let in Bent to hook a shot straight at Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen in the 21st minute but the visitors were struggling to maintain their early momentum.

However Bruce's men drew back on level terms in the 39th minute when Andy Reid played a superb delayed pass into the box which found Bent in space to slot the ball past Jensen.

Campbell almost put the visitors ahead in the 52nd minute when his low drive was blocked well at close range by Jensen after a neat lay-off by Steed Malbranque.

But with clear chances at a premium both sides looked to their benches with Kenwyne Jones on for the visitors and Nugent given his chance to steal the show.

Jones made the first major impact with his physical presence bundling over Tyrone Mears in the home box and earning a ticking off from referee Chris Foy.

But after Elliott had come close with a looping effort which just cleared Gordon's crossbar, the stage was handed over for Nugent to snatch another famous Clarets victory.

Nugent marked his stunning home start in the 67th minute when he rose to meet a deep Elliott cross from the right and headed Burnley's second past Gordon.

And Nugent's second four minutes from time was even better as once again he was fed the ball by Elliott before turning inside the box and firing home a curling shot.

A bad afternoon for Black Cats boss Bruce got worse in the dying minutes as first Phil Bardsley then Kieran Richardson were yellow-carded.

Foy's final whistle brought a huge roar from the home ranks and even a cheeky banner proclaiming 'Nugent for England' in honour of the newest Turf Moor star.

Teams:

Burnley Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Jordan, Elliott,Alexander, McCann (Gudjonsson 28), Blake,Steven Fletcher (Eagles 64), Paterson (Nugent 57).

Subs Not Used: Penny, McDonald, Thompson, Guerrero.

Goals: Alexander 13 pen, Nugent 67, 86.

Sunderland Gordon, Bardsley, Ferdinand, Turner, McCartney,Malbranque (Jones 62), Cana, Reid, Richardson,Campbell (Henderson 75), Bent.

Subs Not Used: Carson, Nosworthy, Mensah, Da Silva, Healy.

Booked: Turner, Bardsley, Richardson.

Goals: Bent 39.

Att: 20,196

Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).