ADAM JOHNSON gave Sunderland victory on Tyneside once again as the Black Cats sealed a late win at St James’ Park.

The 151st Tyne-Wear derby looked to be finishing in stalemate until Johnson struck, handing Sunderland their 50th ever victory against their rivals.

The Sunderland winger finished off a fine counter-attacking move in the 90th minute to win the game for the Black Cats, who have now won four games on the spin against Newcastle.

Sunderland received a blow before kick off when Anthony Reveillere suffered a calf injury in the warm-up, forcing Gus Poyet to shuffle John O’Shea out to left-back and bring Sebastian Coates into the heart of defence off the bench.

In a frantic opening spell - Lee Cattermole registered the first foul within ten seconds – Newcastle came out of the blocks the stronger side, with Paul Dummett scooping over from a Magpies free-kick given after Coates hauled Ayoze Perez down on the edge of the area.

Perez and Sammy Ameobi both warmed Costel Pantilimon’s palms with shots, before Sunderland started to come into the game.

Steven Fletcher, preferred to Jozy Altidore by Poyet, hit the bar in the 26th minute from Seb Larsson’s whipped cross, before Connor Wickham forced Jak Alnwick into a smart saver moments later, the youngster pushing Wickham’s shot wide of the post.

Wickham then had the best chance of the half when he headed meekly into Alnwick’s hands from Santiago Vergini’s cross on 38 minutes.

Sunderland should have been 1-0 ahead after the interval when Newcastle went momentarily down to ten men owing to a head injury to Steven Taylor, who collided with a post. While the centre-half was receiving treatment, Sunderland went on the attack and Jordi Gomez sidefooted wide after being played in by Fletcher.

Newcastle’s best chance of the game to that point came when Ayoze Perez curled a first-time shot goalwards, only for Pantilimon to expertly push the Spaniard’s effort over the bar on the hour mark.

The tide had turned in the Magpies’ favour, as Adam Armstrong, on as substitute for Yoan Gouffran, nipped in behind the Sunderland defence on 71 minutes but saw his shot well-saved by Pantilimon, before Perez was denied by the Black Cats’ keeper moments later.

Sunderland were forced on to the counter-attack, and Johnson spurned a golden opportunity on 77 minutes when Wickham played a perfect ball to the winger, who set it on to his left and screwed his shot wide.

Newcastle continued to pressure the Black Cats’ defence and, with Sunderland’s defence ragged at the back, Moussa Sissoko drew another save out of Pantilimon from distance.

But Sunderland were kings of the counter-attack when they poured forward from the breakdown, Wickham finding Will Buckley who touched inside for Johnson to guide home, sending the 3,000 away fans into raptures.

NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-2-3-1): Alnwick; Janmaat, Coloccini, Taylor, Dummett; Colback, Tiote (Cisse 75); Ameobi (Cabella 89), Sissoko, Gouffran (Armstrong 59); Perez. Subs: Williamson, Haidara, Riviere, Woodman.

SUNDERLAND (4-1-4-1): Pantilimon; Vergini, Brown, Coates, O’Shea; Cattermole (Bridcutt 70); Johnson, Gomez, Larsson (Rodwell 94), Wickham (Buckley 81); Fletcher. Subs: Altidore, Alvarez, Mannone.

Attendance: 52,315