SUNDERLAND moved off the foot of the Premier League table as they brushed aside relegation rivals Hull City to claim their biggest win of the season.

In a game that was interrupted for around ten second-half minutes by a floodlight failure, the Black Cats closed to within three points of safety as they followed up their recent win at Bournemouth with their first Premier League home victory of the campaign.

Jermain Defoe got the ball rolling in the first half, producing a superb solo effort to bring up 150 career goals in the Premier League.

Victor Anichebe added two more goals in the second half, and while Jordan Pickford once again made a series of superb saves to keep Sunderland in front, David Moyes’ side produced sufficient spirit to suggest they could yet mount another successful survival campaign.

The 89th-minute dismissal of Papy Djibolodji for two yellow cards ensured they finished with ten men for the second game in succession, but their clinical finishing meant they were still able to end the game as comfortable winners.

Having watched his side secure their first league win of the season prior to the international break, David Moyes understandably kept his changes to a minimum as he looked to build on the Bournemouth success.

Jason Denayer replaced the suspended Steven Pienaar in midfield, but it was Hull that dominated the opening stages as Sunderland’s players initially struggled to display any kind of composure on the ball.

Jordan Pickford was called into action as early as the second minute to keep out Dieumerci Mbokani’s goal-bound strike, and Hull threatened again moments later as Sam Clucas surged into the penalty area unopposed to meet Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross, only to steer a first-time effort over the crossbar.

Sunderland were second best throughout the opening stages, but should have earned a penalty from their first meaningful attack.

Elmohamady got himself into a mess as he attempted to shepherd the ball back to David Marshall, and after Duncan Watmore got himself in between the pair to get a foot to the ball, Hull’s goalkeeper slid in to up-end the winger.

It was a clear spot-kick, but referee Lee Mason remained unmoved, much to the understandable frustration of Moyes on the touchline.

Moyes would have been even more unhappy had Pickford not saved from Clucas after Didier Ndong failed to deal with a cross from the right-hand side, but the Sunderland manager was punching the air with delight 11 minutes before the interval.

Defoe had barely been involved at that stage, but the 34-year-old does not need a second invitation in front of goal, and his quality was once again the difference in terms of firing the Black Cats ahead.

Watmore flicked Billy Jones’ long ball into his path, but there was still an awful lot to do when Defoe picked up the ball close to the edge of the area.

Sensing an opportunity to drive forward, he skipped past two Hull defenders on his way into the box, before dispatching a crisp low finish past Marshall.

It was Defoe’s 150th Premier League goal, drawing him alongside former England team-mate Michael Owen in joint seventh position on the all-time list.

Having claimed the lead with a goal out of almost nothing, Sunderland might well have doubled their advantage before the interval had Anichebe been able to mirror Defoe’s composure.

Anichebe found himself in space in the box after Watmore dummied Defoe’s flick to wrong-foot the Hull defence, but he dragged his shot wide of the left-hand upright.

The hosts went close again in the opening minute of the second half, but while Watmore’s back-post shot was on target after Defoe flicked on Jones’ cross, it was straight at Marshall, who was able to make a relatively routine save.

Everything had been fairly routine up to that stage, but the afternoon took an unexpected turn five minutes into the second half when a power outage meant all the floodlights at the Stadium of Light failed.

With the ground plunged into darkness, the referee opted to take all of the players off the field, and while the lights eventually came back on, the game was stopped for around ten minutes before play was able to resume.

Hull created their best opportunity of the game within seven minutes of the restart, but after Robert Snodgrass pulled the ball back neatly from the left-hand side, Ryan Mason scuffed a shot wide of the target when he should really have scored.

The miss proved a costly one, as Sunderland doubled their lead at the other end five minutes later.

Van Aanholt drove infield from the left-hand side, and after his square ball found Anichebe, the striker stepped inside his marker before sweeping home left-footed.

Hull continued to press, and Snodgrass came close with an acrobatic overhead kick that would have crept in had Pickford not displayed a similar level of agility to claw the ball away.

Not for the first time this season, Sunderland’s goalkeeper was a key performer, and he produced another fine stop to deny Mbokani with 12 minutes left. Hull fashioned a follow-up effort from close range, but with the Black Cats’ goal leading something of a charmed life, van Aanholt nodded the ball off the goalline.

Sunderland needed a third goal to make their victory absolutely safe, and it duly arrived courtesy of Anichebe with six minutes left.

Defoe teed up his strike partner in the area, and after brushing his marker aside, Anichebe rifled home a fierce finish. Having scored on his first Premier League start at Bournemouth, Anichebe now boasts a hugely-welcome three goals in two matches.

Sunderland (4-3-3): Pickford; Jones, Kone, Djilobodji, van Aanholt; McNair (Love 88), Denayer (O’Shea 82), Ndong; Anichebe, Defoe, Watmore.

Subs (not used): Mannone (gk), Manquillo, Gooch, Januzaj, Khazri.

Hull (4-51): Marshall; Elmohamady, Davies, Dawson, Tymon (Bowen 68); Snodgrass, Clucas, Livermore, Mason (Meyler 78), Henriksen; Mbokani.

Subs (not used): Jakupovic (gk), Maguire, Huddlestone, Weir, Olley.