Jack Clarke brace helps Sunderland see off Blackburn

Jack Clarke scored twice as Sunderland moved up to fourth in the Sky Bet Championship with an impressive 3-1 win at Blackburn.

The Black Cats had to weather a ferocious early Blackburn storm, but took the lead with their first shot as Clarke won and converted a 28th-minute penalty. Harry Leonard’s header drew Rovers level, but Dan Neil struck his second goal of the season in added time to give the visitors a half-time lead.

Dilan Markanday struck the post for Blackburn, but Sunderland were much more composed than the first half and in Clarke, boasted the game’s supreme performer. He duly made the game safe 12 minutes from time, superbly creating the chance to score his fifth of the season from close range.

It capped a happy return to Ewood Park for former manager Tony Mowbray, whose side made it three successive victories.

Blackburn raced out of the traps and were close to a spectacular opener when Leonard’s volley from a narrow angle sailed just over.

They should have been ahead in the ninth minute when Anthony Patterson saved from Sammie Szmodics and the rebound fell to Andrew Moran six yards out, but Dan Ballard produced a sensational block to deny Rovers a certain goal.

The defender repeated the trick three minutes later when he headed over a Szmodics goalbound effort as Blackburn’s onslaught continued.

Somehow, it was the Black Cats who took the lead in the 28th minute after Clarke nipped in ahead of Ryan Hedges as he tried to clear the ball and he kicked the Sunderland man instead.

Clarke picked himself up and calmly slotted his penalty straight down the middle of goal.

Rovers deservedly drew level seven minutes later when Callum Brittain’s sumptuous cross was headed beyond Patterson by Leonard at the back post. Ballard was off the pitch for the goal that looked offside, leading to Tony Mowbray being booked for his protests.

But the visitors regrouped and went ahead in the first minute of first-half stoppage time when a corner fell to Neil, who took a touch before firing a low left-foot drive beyond Pears into the bottom corner.

Patterson tipped a Lewis Travis effort behind after the restart before the imperious Clarke set up a chance for Mason Burstow to shoot straight at Aynsley Pears.

Substitute Markanday was inches away from an equaliser in the 70th minute when he did well to engineer space in the box before curling for the far corner, but his effort hit the post and fell safe.

It was fitting that Clarke sealed the three points for Sunderland in the 78th minute, effortlessly cutting in from the left past three defenders and Pears before casually rolling into the bottom corner.