Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren last night toasted the goalscoring abilities of two of his defenders and the striker he was so keen to keep at the Riverside.

Boro cruised past Sunderland in the 135th Wear-Tees derby on the day McClaren attempted to strengthen his midfield with a deadline day £3m bid for Manchester City's Joey Barton.

It has been a long wait for the Boro players since that Sunday in September when Mick McCarthy's men beat their neighbours at the Riverside, but revenge has always been on their minds and they took it by the scruff of the neck at the Stadium of Light.

The last time they tasted success on their travels in the league was in October at Villa Park, but first half goals from Emanuel Pogatetz - his first for the club - and Stuart Parnaby all but secured the win.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, seemingly on his way out of Teesside a month ago, grabbed the third after the break, effectively ending any lingering hopes that Sunderland can somehow pull off a miracle and retain their top-flight status.

Hasselbaink's goal triggered a mass exodus of the 31,675 fans, which meant even the booing at the final whistle rang a little hollow.

The midfield battle off the pitch revolved around deadline day signings.

Both clubs were eager to strengthen their central ranks ahead of last night's closure of the transfer window.

That need looked far greater for the Black Cats and the acquisition of Rory Delap on a free from Southampton should have given the midfield and defence a much-needed kick up the backside.

By half-time that hope appeared forlorn as the Black Cats were already two down.

The addition of Delap to Sunderland's squad looks a long-term investment with McCarthy true to his word in demanding any signings are for the long-term with relegation a certainty.

The 29-year-old has agreed a two-and-half year deal.

What McCarthy expects is that his players make up for in effort and endeavour what they lack in quality. Last night they failed massively on that front in the first half.

Sunderland defender Steve Caldwell returned after recovering from a hamstring injury, replacing Neill Collins, who wasn't included in the 16. Kevin Kyle dropped to the bench after his first start for 17 months on Saturday with Anthony Le Tallec coming in.

Middlesbrough made three changes from the side which drew 1-1 at Coventry, Doriva replacing ankle injury-victim Fabio Rochemback, Andrew Taylor in for Matthew Bates, and Mark Viduka up front with Yakubu dropping to the bench.

The game started with both sides nervously looking to ensure mistakes were kept to a minimum.

Neither goalkeeper was tested in the first quarter hour with Boro the more adventurous. A free-kick on the edge of the area in the first 90 seconds came to nothing, with shots by Hasselbaink and Gaizka Mendieta both well wide in the opening ten minutes.

The poor quality of the playing surface almost created a goal for the home side in the 13th minute. Stewart Downing and Andrew Taylor gifted possession to Justin Hoyte near the Boro penalty area as the ball stuck in the mud, but Le Tallec could only divert his low cross wide at the near post.

Sunderland have made a habit this season of giving away soft goals and they were again guilty in the 19th minute. Dean Whitehead was penalised for hand ball 40 yards out and Downing's free-kick caught Black Cats' keeper Kelvin Davis in two minds.

He came to collect, changed his mind, allowing Pogatetz's header to loop over him and go in off the crossbar.

McCarthy admitted he could hardly look at his players after their capitulation at Brentford on Saturday. His anger was such last night he even removed himself from the manager's technical area to calm down - a first this season at home.

He returned on the half hour just in time to see his side go 2-0 down.

Julio Arca gave possession away and Parnaby broke down the right. A quick ball in to Viduka and the Aussie laid the ball back into the path of Parnaby, who drove low into the bottom right corner of Davis' goal.

It was all too easy in McCarthy's eyes and Danny Collins was replaced by Kyle as the Wearsiders found themselves chasing the game after just 31 minutes.

Unfortunately the 4-3-3 formation he was looking for created more problems than it solved.

Jon Stead's profligacy in front of goal was again evident as he skied the Black Cats' best chance of the remaining 15 minutes of the first half after he was set up 12 yards out.

McCarthy resisted the temptation to make further changes at the interval and Le Tallec had the chance to give the Wearsiders a foothold in the game shortly after the restart, only to see his flick header from Stead's cross drift harmlessly wide.

Tempers started to fray with Doriva booked for his part in a minor confrontation with Liam Lawrence, who was central to most of the home side's best work. His shot from 20 yards in the 50th minute brought Mark Schwarzer's first save of the game.

Five minutes later Kyle was hopefully appealing for handball in the box as Sunderland attempted to repair the first-half damage.

On the hour mark the best move of the game should have produced a goal for the Black Cats, only for Whitehead to miss the target from eight yards out.

Arca played in Lawrence, whose cross to the near post was back-heeled by Stead to Le Tallec.

The France Under-21 international set up Whitehead, who with the goal at his mercy fired over the bar.

Sunderland kept pressing and Caldwell was next to test Schwarzer. Whitehead's free-kick deflected off the wall but the centre-back could not get any power on his shot at the back post and the Boro keeper saved.

Schwarzer was again in the right place to save Lawrence's free-kick in the 70th minute and, as Sunderland looked to have ran out of puff, Boro delivered the coup de grace a minute later.

Mendieta broke through the middle and laid the ball into the path of Haasselbaink, whose first time effort from the edge of the box was too powerful for Davis.

Stuffing firmly knocked out of them, the Black Cats went through the motions as the watch ticked down for Boro's third consecutive Premiership win at the Stadium of Light - their 125th victory in Premier League history.