JUST when Sunderland were in desperate need of the inspiration to secure a record-breaking fifth successive victory over Newcastle United to give their Premier League survival chances a boost, step forward Jermain Defoe.

While football fans on Tyneside will do their best to try to erase this latest sorry showing against their rivals, Wearsiders will never forget the afternoon when Defoe became Jermain man on derby day at the Stadium of Light.

When an encouraging first half display from Sunderland looked as if it would go unrewarded, Defoe conjured up a moment of brilliance to earn the lead and put the Black Cats on course for a win that lifts them up to 15th and three points clear of the bottom three.

The former Tottenham striker’s predatory instincts and quality were there for all to see when he somehow powered a dipping left-foot volley inside Tim Krul’s top left corner in the final minute of the first half.

There were a few twists and turns after that but the scoreline never altered and one of the greatest Tyne & Wear derby goals – if not the greatest – proved sufficient to hand Dick Advocaat his first points since taking over from Gus Poyet.

When the final whistle blew after six minutes of stoppage-time at the end of the game when Costel Pantilimon gathered a ball in his box, the towering Romanian was mobbed by John O’Shea, Lee Cattermole, Billy Jones and Santiago Vergini to get the Bank Holiday celebrations on Wearside well and truly started.

Defoe, who had been replaced, re-emerged to join in and Sunderland left Newcastle without a club record win in seven matches against their rivals. And Advocaat, like predecessors Gus Poyet and Paolo Di Canio before him, could savour a derby victory in his second match in charge.

Had Sunderland not taken the lead when they did Advocaat would have felt short-changed because his team did all of the probing and pressing until the closing stages.

Despite losing his first game in charge at West Ham, whatever work the Dutch coach has had the squad doing on the training ground since had the desired effect, particularly in the first half when Newcastle struggled to gain a foothold.

The influence of Cattermole, one of the three changes to the side which started at Upton Park, after his two-match suspension was pivotal. He orchestrated the midfield from the first whistle, even spraying one or two passes David Beckham would have been proud of.

But for all Sunderland had better composure on the ball and their greater desire to move forward than they have had at the Stadium of Light throughout the campaign, Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul was not seriously tested before Defoe’s wonder strike.

Even though there were plenty of gaps in the Newcastle defence - already short of defensive options before Daryl Janmaat battled through 90 minutes despite limping out of his warm-up – Krul had a relatively quiet first half.

Sunderland showed plenty of promise until they got in to the final third during that spell. Connor Wickham and Steven Fletcher were particularly lively outside of the box, while Defoe had looked hungry to get on the ball before his opener.

Krul had to move over to comfortably gather a hopeful Jordi Gomez free-kick that was at least on target from 25 yards, while Wickham’s downward header from Seb Larsson’s corner went behind after hitting a combination of the post and ex-Cat Jack Colback.

It was after that when Newcastle did at least start to see more of the ball, although Pantilimon was as isolated as the visitors’ lone striker Ayoze Perez throughout that initial 45 minutes.

The danger signs were still there for Newcastle, though, when Fletcher’s clever flick eight minutes before the break sent Defoe clear in behind Mike Williamson and Janmaat.

But the former England striker’s heavy first touch allowed the covering man to come across and prevent him from testing Krul when the vast majority of the 47,000-plus crowd must have thought someone of his quality would score.

After Wickham forced a save from the keeper moments later, Defoe showed he did not need a second invitation to prove his worth just when it seemed Newcastle’s players would return to the dressing room on level terms.

Fletcher nodded a long ball in to the direction of Defoe standing 22 yards from goal. The 32-year-old cleverly watched the ball drop before displaying the exceptional technique he is renowned for by angling the sweetest of left foot volleys high into Krul’s top left corner.

You will be hard pushed to witness a better volley this season and there is even argument for his third for Sunderland, given the importance too, ranking as the greatest derby goal of them all.

The satisfaction and relief among the red and white contingent was clear. Advocaat felt it like the rest, turning around and punching the air in his technical area.

Newcastle could not play any worse in the second half and they improved considerably, although they still found it difficult to make significant progress towards Pantilimon’s goal.

No matter what direction Carver looked for help it failed to arrive. Moussa Sissoko, the main driving force of Newcastle’s midfield and wearing the captain’s armband, could not even find his extra quality and his final pass let him down.

Sunderland still had the better chances. Patrick van Aanholt volleyed wide from a difficult angle after getting in behind the full-back, while Fletcher should have done better when he turned and shot over the bar after he was picked out unmarked.

As the minutes ticked by, Newcastle’s early second half impetus gradually declined and Sunderland’s counter-attacks could easily have led to a second. Larsson curled a free-kick inches wide, but the fact the extra cushion never arrived meant Newcastle always had a chance.

And Pantilimon had to be alert to make his first real save of the afternoon when Remy Cabella curled an effort towards goal when he latched on to substitute Emmanuel Riviere’s lay-off.

But Sunderland, who introduced Adam Johnson for the final ten minutes to a rousing reception from the home fans, still looked more dangerous when they attacked.

Larsson looked like he was going to score after linking up with van Aanholt, only for his shot to deflect wide and when Perez wasted a glorious volley at the other end it was all over. Sunderland, courtesy of Defoe, had created a little bit of history.