Times Sport
Campbell continues his Wearside resurrection
11:49pm Wednesday 1st February 2012
Sunderland 3 Norwich City 0
FRAIZER CAMPBELL spent 500 days in Sunderland oblivion, but took just 21 minutes to show the Black Cats what they had been missing before his return to the starting line-up.
A knee injury, sustained in the 1-0 victory over Manchester City on August 29, 2010, has kept the former Manchester United man out of action but, after making a goalscoring return against Middlesbrough on Sunday, he continued his fairytale resurrection of a once-troubled playing career with a blistering performance against Norwich City last night.
Handed his first start of the season by Martin O'Neill, the 24-year-old frontman volleyed Sunderland into a 21st minute lead before turning provider seven minutes later for Stephane Sessegnon to head home.
Norwich defender Daniel Ayala turned Phil Bardsley's centre past his own goalkeeper on 54 minutes as the Canaries were suffocated at the Stadium of Light.
City manager Paul Lambert played for O'Neill for five years between 2000 and 2005 while the Northern Irishman was Celtic boss, and O'Neill recommended Lambert for the vacant manager's position at Wycombe Wanderers, where the former Leicester City manager began his career in the dugout. Like O'Neill, Lambert went on to take the reins at Carrow Road, leading the Canaries to back-to-back promotions. Two years ago, Lambert was leading his side out against Hartlepool in League One.
But Norwich's own resurgence back to English football's top table took a battering on a bracing night on Wearside as Sunderland had City on the ropes after half an hour.
Sunderland started the better side, with Campbell warming John Ruddy's palms with a header from James McClean's fifth-minute cross, before Sessegnon had found Seb Larsson inside the box, the Swede skewing his shot wide of Ruddy's far post.
When Sunderland faced Norwich at Carrow Road in August, the contrast could not have been sharper. On that night, Norwich's determination and organisation had the Black Cats reeling, but under O'Neill as opposed to then boss Steve Bruce, Sunderland are proving hard to beat.
That said, City could have been 1-0 up on 13 minutes when Steve Morison, Sunderland's tormentor in chief back in August, flicked a long ball on for Grant Holt's volley to force a parry from Simon Mignolet, while Morison's follow-up shot was scrambled away by John O'Shea.
But that ended up being Norwich's sole involvement in an otherwise one-sided half, and eight minutes later Sunderland had the lead, when McClean battled well on the left to force Russell Martin to head out only as far as Campbell, who controlled and volleyed past Ruddy from 25 yards.
Sunderland's lead was doubled on 28 minutes when Sessegnon beat Bradley Johnson, swept a pass out wide to Campbell, who swung in a perfect cross for the Benin international to head past Ruddy.
Campbell's return to action had persuaded O'Neill not to be drawn into the market for a striker before the transfer window closed, and Sunderland's number nine vindicated that decision in a first-half where he appeared to pick up on the predatory form which he showed before his injury 15 months ago.
Craig Gardner almost extended Sunderland's lead after the interval, only to be denied by Ruddy with a smart save from the former Birmingham City man's shot on the turn, but it was Black Cats right-back Phil Bardsley who helped the hosts into total control.
Bardsley powered into the Norwich box on 54 minutes and saw his centre ricochet off the hapless Ayala's knee and past Ruddy.
Campbell spurned an opportunity to grab a second on the hour mark when Larsson fizzed a teasing ball across the face of goal, but the striker was unable to connect.
Norwich were not totally out of the game, and top scorer Morison went close with a towering header which flew wide on 64 minutes, before Sunderland swept up the other end and Gardner shot wide from 25 yards out.
Campbell was given a breather after 74 minutes - but can be pleased with his contribution - while new signing Wayne Bridge was given his first taste of life in a Sunderland shirt with an eight-minute cameo replacing Kieran Richardson, the full-back's first competitive involvement since turning out for West Ham against the Black Cats, where the Hammers were beaten 3-0 at Upton Park.
Norwich rallied, with Zac Whitbread's 89th header the pick of a clutch of half-chances, but Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet rarely looked like being troubled and the hosts saw the game out.
Last night's victory gave O'Neill his first silverware as Black Cats manager, with the "Friendship Cup" returning to Wearside. It reflects the goodwill shared when both contested the Milk Cup in 1985. Norwich won that day - with a team featuring Bruce - but both teams swapped scarves and memorabilia on that day at Wembley and it is a friendship which has continued.
While it was the Milk Cup which the Canaries won, it was the Cats who got the cream 26 years on.