Darren Byfield further endeared himself to the Sunderland fans with the goal which earned his side a 2-1 win over Gillingham.
The enigmatic striker took his tally to three in as many games as Mick McCarthy's side climbed to fourth place in the Nationwide Division One table.
Byfield has now scored four times in eight matches since arriving from Rotherham, a statistic which is made all the more impressive given the fact that he has been named in the starting line-up just twice.
His well-taken goal, after a penetrating run at the Gillingham defence, settled an encounter which the hosts dominated without ever truly taking charge.
Sean Thornton, with a superb 11th-minute free-kick, had laid the platform for a comfortable evening for Sunderland, only for Patrick Agyemang to grab a somewhat fortuitous equaliser just before the half hour.
Sunderland's pressure eventually told, though, Byfield scoring eight minutes after the interval to extend the Black Cats' unbeaten run at home to 17 league games and ensure Gillingham's first trip to the Stadium of Light ended
fruitless.
Thornton's goal was the culmination of a sustained spell of Sunderland pressure, Paul Thirlwell firing over from distance and John Oster testing goalkeeper Steve Banks early on.
Though Kevin James tried his luck from 35 yards for Gillingham, it came as little surprise when Thornton found the top corner of Banks' goal - almost a carbon copy of his strike against Preston a fortnight ago - following Leon
Johnson's foul on Byfield.
Kevin Kyle, with a left-footed strike, and Oster failed to find the target as Sunderland sought to double their advantage, but Gillingham came into the game more as the half progressed.
Alan Pouton was similarly wayward at the opposite end of the pitch before the visitors equalised in the 28th minute through Agyemang, who diverted a cross past goalkeeper Mart Poom off his thigh.
Sunderland suffered a further setback just after the half hour when Stephen Wright was forced off through injury - he was replaced by Darren Williams -
although Jeff Whitley and Kyle stung Banks' palms and Byfield shot wide before the break.
The withdrawal of Kyle at the interval did not appear to have a significant effect on Sunderland, who regained the lead in the 53rd minute.
Collecting the ball 40 yards from goal, a jinking Byfield raced at Gillingham's retreating defenders before firing low to Banks' right.
Thornton went close to grabbing his second goal, and Sunderland's third, with a far-post volley following George McCartney's cross, while Williams was denied
by the woodwork.
Gary Breen, with a header, and Tommy Smith also went close for the hosts, while Mamady Sidibe shot wide from close range late on.
Teams
Sunderland Poom, McCartney, Babb, Breen, Wright (Williams 34),
Oster, Whitley, Thirlwell, Thornton (Cooper 90), Byfield,
Kyle (Tommy Smith 45).
Subs Not Used: Piper, Myhre.
Booked: Whitley.
Goals: Thornton 11, Byfield 53.
Gillingham Banks, Rose, Ashby, Leon Johnson, Southall, Pouton,
Smith, James (Jarvis 83), Spiller (Hessenthaler 69), Sidibe,
Agyemang.
Subs Not Used: Crofts, Awuah, Beckwith.
Booked: Pouton.
Goals: Agyemang 28.
Att: 23,262
Ref: M Cowburn (Lancashire).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook