Happy Hammers: Victor Obina soaks up West Ham's first away win in 23 attempts after his match-winning strikeIt had been 13 long months and 22 games since the travelling regulars of West Ham savoured the joy of an away victory.
And even the most optimistic among the 500-plus on Wearside cannot have expected to return home in the early hours with the Hammers in the fourth round.
Once again inspired by captain Scott Parker, the Premier League's bottom club pulled off a deserved win at the Stadium of Light to ease their worries and pile the pressure on Steve Bruce, as he continues his battle to win over the Sunderland supporters.
Bruce's side departed to an ovation following their last-gasp 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Saturday. But on Tuesday night the boos were back in town.
Not that Avram Grant was bothered as he celebrated his first win over Premier League opposition as West Ham boss. It was the boost he needed before Tottenham visit Upton Park on Saturday.
'Psychologically, this was a very important win for us,' said Grant.
First up: Frederic Piquionne opens his account for West Ham with the opening goal of the game'I am delighted because it has been a long time coming.
'I am delighted because it has been a long time coming. MATCH FACTS SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Mignolet 8; Bardsley 5, Onuoha 5, Ferdinand 5 (Da Silva 40min, 6), Richardson 6; Elmohamady 6, Henderson 5 (Zenden 72, 6), Riveros 7, Welbeck 7; Gyan 6 (Malbranque 59), Bent 6.
WEST HAM (4-4-2): Stech 6; Faubert 6, Da Costa 6, Tomkins 7, Ben Haim 6; Barrera 6 (Noble 90), Kovac 6, Parker 8, Boa Morte 5; Piquionne 6 (Cole 79), Obinna 6 (Dyer 72).
Man of the match: Scott Parker. Referee: Howard Webb 6.
'After so many games with zero points and playing well it is good to get a win because it shows if you continue to do the right things you can win matches. It is good for the confidence of the players.
'We played well, we were the better team and deserved to win. It shows we are making progress. I am very optimistic about the season. We have a vision. Bottom of the League is not the place for us.'
Grant was looking for something to spark his team into life and made seven changes.
Bruce, looking to end Sunderland's 37-year wait for silverware in a competition which has eluded every one of his predecessors, made just two - and still lost.
Record signing Asamoah Gyan gained valuable playing time with Darren Bent, but other than the welltaken flicked header from Jordan Henderson which cancelled out Frederic Piquionne's 34th-minute opener, the Ghana striker looked out of sorts and down on fitness.
Like Anton Ferdinand and Kieran Richardson, he also suffered a hamstring injury.
Heading back: Asamoah Gyan nods home Sunderland's equaliser to beat West Ham goalkeeper Marek StechGyan's inevitable substitution in the 59th minute came just after Victor Obinna had scored the winner, coolly finishing after another determined run from Parker had created the space for a striker whose shooting until that point had been wild.
Three chances broke to Obinna and Piquionne in a bright opening, but they failed to trouble Simon Mignolet, who did keep out Parker, Pablo Barrera and Carlton Cole, when he was given a chance to add to Bruce's humiliation in added time.
Driving force: Stand-in Hammers skipper Scott Parker was yet again in magnificent form as he surged past Jordan HendersonBruce, who kept his players in the dressing room for more than an hour after the final whistle, looked perplexed and angered by the lack of inspiration on view.
The Sunderland manager will no doubt have Bolo Zenden and Andy Reid knocking on his door before Saturday's trip to Anfield after they were denied the chance to kick-start their seasons, having both played a role in the comfortable win over Colchester in the previous round.
Touch of class: Obina scores his first goal for West ham, completing a wonderful move for the winnerSunderland's only chance of note fell to Bent, who blazed over.
Bruce said: 'We were flat from the first whistle. I thought we could go again after what we did against Arsenal but they have run the equivalent of the Great North Run and maybe I should have made more changes. But I don't make excuses, West Ham were the better team.'
As the boos died down, the PA announcer had another delight in store for Bruce. Next at the Stadium of Light: Manchester United.
source: dailymail
