SUNDERLAND 2, NEWCASTLE 1

HISTORY made, hysteria everywhere, a goal from the gods wiping away Sunderland's personal hurt.

Kieran Richardson will never strike a ball as well again. Ever.

A fraction over quarter-of-an-hour remained when Greenwich-born Richardson - more London pain for Newcastle's supporters - stamped his place in the history of North-East football for ever.

Count the speed, 73 miles per hour, watch the replay, give credit to Shay Given for getting anywhere near such a piledriver.

Record books were re-written yesterday, the footballing hierarchy of a region shifted.

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At least it was done by a goal worthy of such magnitude.

Perhaps referee Keith Stroud deserves some credit. At Fulham last week, he disallowed a perfectly good strike from an almost identical position by Richardson.

The 24-year- old also hit three posts with a free-kick at Craven Cottage.

But those appeared to have merely tightened the elastic band in his left foot.

And then it went off, powering a vicious shot past an anxious Newcastle wall, into the top corner of the visitors' goal and directly into the hearts of Sunderland's supporters.

They will perhaps come to regret the mindless scenes that followed.

Given was confronted by two celebrating supporters in his goalmouth and there was chaos at full-time with fighting on the Stadium of Light turf - unheard of in the modern-day Premier League.

There was no hiding what victory over their fierce rivals meant. Roll out the record book.

Not since 1980 have Sunderland beaten their rivals on home soil.

Not since 1967 have they beaten Newcastle on their own turf in the top flight of English football.

And never had they sent their old foes back home defeated from the new Stadium of Light.

Djibril Cisse, the most pivotal figure in their success, scored the opening goal that put belief into Roy Keane's side.

Steed Malbranque was given too much time to march towards the corner of the Newcastle penalty area.

He fired over what looked like a shot and Cisse - he of the two broken legs - stuck out a foot to divert the ball past a helpless Given.

That was after just 20 minutes but 10 minutes later, Newcastle were level.

Shola Ameobi won a free-kick and when Geremi crossed the striker rose unmarked to power a header past Marton Fulop.

But when Ameobi's real moment came, the time for his own place in the history books, he was found wanting.

On the hour mark Nicky Butt and Oba Martins sliced their way through but Ameobi cut inside and then, with only Fulop to beat, blasted a shot over the Sunderland crossbar.

Joe Kinnear's head went into his hands and from there Keane's men regrouped and took control.

Cisse was denied by Given, El--Hadji Diouf and Malbranque shot wide. Then Butt clipped Diouf's heel on the edge of the area.

And it was Richardson's moment. Victory felt like a shift in power. And Keane knew it.

"It was a good day for the club," he said.

Progress

"We all know the background. There are great steps being taken by the football club, by Niall Quinn, the board and my staff. But you have to do the business on a match day. It is important the players are plugged into the history - or the lack of history - at the club. These records happen.

"You have to remember how many years Newcastle and Middlesbrough have been ahead of this football club. We can't get ahead of ourselves.

"If it means we are making progress then it is important. We deserved to win."

But what for the black and white following behind the goal - banned alcohol in their away section, starved of food in a futile bid to broker peace underneath the stands.

An empty stomach was not the way to take this defeat, the symbol of years of decay, of missed opportunities off the pitch and glaring failings on it.

It is hard not to sympathise with Kinnear. He was thrown into the lions' den to cover for Mike Ashley's stack 'em high, sell 'em at the first chance football club, thrust into the bear pit of a Tyne-Wear derby, and unless a footballing miracle takes place, left with this epitaph . . . JFK, the first Toon boss shot down in Sunderland in almost 30 years.

Kinnear should have brought on Jonas Gutierrez and Joey Barton much earlier.

Barton was once more in the middle of controversy when three bottles were hurled at him when he warmed up. Kissing his badge did not exactly help and he was ushered back to the visitors' bench by riot police.

Hurt

Yet he played well. So did Gutierrez. But they still lost.

Kinnear did not duck from the significance of defeat. He said: "It is a massive loss. No one is more disappointed and hurt than myself. This is the one game you don't want to lose. Maybe I could have brought on the other players earlier. I am questioning myself.

"It is immensely disappointing for the supporters and the city. It is my first derby and I have lost. I put my hands up."

Former Sunderland manager Ian McColl, in charge between 1965-68 and also manager of Scotland, has died aged 81.

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