Premier League: Sunderland 2 Blackburn 1

Martin O’Neill’s first game as Sunderland manager ended in victory thanks to late goals from David Vaughan and Sebastian Larsson.

Rovers took a surprise lead when Simon Vukcevic tapped home from close range after Keiren Westwood parried Chris Samba’s shot into his path.

The home side were on top for most of the game but had to wait until the final 10 minutes before getting the breakthrough as Vaughan crashed an effort home in the 83rd minute.

Sunderland found the winner in injury time as Rovers sat back and Larsson curled a free-kick into the bottom corner to seal the win for the former Villa boss.

Sunderland had the best on the early play as their forced set pieces but could not trouble Paul Robinson in the Blackburn goal.

Rovers managed to slow the game down following the home side’s fast start and Yakubu had a decent chance to open the scoring but Bramble denied him with a good challenge.

Kean’s side took the lead in the 17th minute when Chris Samba’s deflected shot was parried by Keiren Westwood only as far as Vukcevic who tapped the ball in from six yards.

Sunderland nearly equalised immediately through Richardson who latched onto Stephane Sessegnon’s cross but Robinson made a brilliant save at his feet.

Richardson was again denied minutes later this time by the body of Scott Dann who threw himself in the way of the former Manchester United man’s left-footed shot after he was again put in by Sessegnon.

The Black Cats started the second half positively and again had early chances as efforts from Sessegnon and Richardson went wide of the goal.

Larsson, who has scored twice from set-pieces this season, nearly got Sunderland back into the game with a strike from a free-kick which just whistled past Robinson’s post.

Yakubu put the home defence under pressure before being crowded out by Titus Bramble. The resulting clearance landed at the feet of Dunn whose dipping shot just crept over Westwood’s bar.

This sparked Sunderland back into life and Richardson again went close as his volley from outside the box was deflected and looked to be goal-bound before Robinson stuck out a hand to divert the ball from the net.

O’Neill brought on Irish winger James McClean and the youngster nearly provided a goal within minutes of coming on the field as he beat his man down the left and hit a wonderful cross into the box but Sessegnon could only head wide.

Sunderland kept pressing and finally found a way through the Blackburn defence and Robinson when Vaughan hit a powerful effort into the top corner of the net.

In injury time, Blackburn gave a free-kick away on the edge of the box which Larsson bent into the bottom corner past Robinson to send the Stadium of Light into raptures.