Sunderland end the year with a vital win

Goals from Kieran Richardson, on his return to the starting line-up, and striker Kenwyne Jones, saw the Black Cats race into a 2-0 lead with just 32 minutes gone.

However, El-Hadji Diouf revived the visitors hopes when he pulled a goal back on 41 minutes, and the home side had to hang on for dear life until Daryl Murphy's injury-time strike to claim just their second win in 14 attempts.

Manager Roy Keane would have taken a victory however it came after ending the first half of the campaign with only 14 points in the bank.

And while he will have been disappointed with the nature of Diouf's goal, a speculative free-kick which dropped inside the far post, he will have been delighted with the effort and commitment of his embattled players.

He will have been pleased too to see Jones end his nine-game drought in front of a crowd of 42,058, most of whom arrived knowing defeat was simply not an option after the 4-0 home defeat by Manchester United on Boxing Day.

Wanderers manager Gary Megson was left to rue the defensive errors which contributed to Sunderlands flying start, but also his sides inability to break the Wearsiders down despite an prolonged late assault.

Keane admitted in the run-up to the game that, for the first time this season, it was a must-win affair, and he could hardly have been more delighted with the way it unfolded in the early stages.

The Irishman took something of a gamble on Richardson, throwing him into the starting line-up for the first time since August after more than four months out with a back problem.

However, his bravery was rewarded in fine style when, with just 13 minutes gone, the winger found space on the left to run on to Jones inviting pass and smash a shot past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

IF the rest of the season is anything like the second half of Saturday's game, then the Sunderland fans are in for a stressful four and a half months.

From the moment El-Hadji Diouf's 41st minute free kick found its way into Craig Gordon's bottom left-hand corner, the Black Cats were on the back-foot.

On the plus side they were still 2-1 up and Bolton were so poor they could barely muster an effort on Gordon's goal despite their dominance, but the over-riding feeling was one of panic amongst the Sunderland players.

Defending a lead for ten minutes is one thing but for 50 against a poor side is another.

The fear of losing is clearly having an effect on Roy Keane's players, but they won't be gifted a game quite like they were on Saturday.

The injury-time third was a bonus but Keane must quickly instil a confidence amongst his squad that appears lacking.

They will play few teams between now and May that offer as little going forward as Gary Megson's side - and there will be few occasions when playing on the back-foot for so long will yield three points.

The Trinidad and Tobago international may have earned an assist for carving out the opening for his team-mate, but he was not satisfied with that and finally ended his search for a goal at the ninth time of asking.

Richardson returned the favour with a well-placed near-post corner on 32 minutes and Jones did the rest with a bullet header to make it 2-0 and increase belief that three points were there for the taking.

Until that stage, Bolton had looked a shadow of the side which had won two of its previous four league games with star man Nicolas Anelka isolated and central defenders Danny Higginbotham and Paul McShane allowing him little time or space.

It had taken a timely intervention by Danny Collins to deny Kevin Davies a free shot at goal from former Newcastle defender Andy O'Brien's 10th-minute cross.

But with just four minutes of the first half remaining, Wanderers dragged themselves back into the game as indecision in the home penalty area cost the Black Cats dear.

Davies looked odds-on to convert Diouf's free-kick as it was allowed to travel across keeper Craig Gordon unhindered but, although the striker failed to get a touch, the ball crept inside the far post to reduce the deficit and further dent Sunderland's fragile confidence.

Keane replaced striker Michael Chopra, who had lined up on the right-hand side of midfield before the break, with Grant Leadbitter.

But it was from the other flank that his sides first chance of the second half came as Richardson ran on to Andy Cole's pass before unleashing a dipping drive which Jaaskelainen had to tip over.

Leadbitter proved his worth inside his own penalty area three minutes later after Ricardo Gardner and Anelka had combined to set up Diouf, the youngster getting in a vital challenge before the Senegal international could pull the trigger.

Veteran striker Cole briefly got the better of Andy O'Brien on 54 minutes, but could not get a shot in, and after Davies had scuffed an effort straight at Gordon, the former Manchester United frontman made way for Murphy with Danny Guthrie replacing J lloyd Samuel for the visitors.

But it was Wanderers who were applying the pressure, and they went close on 61 minutes when, after Anelka had thumped a shot straight at Diouf, he reacted smartly to curl a right-footed effort just wide.

Keane introduced more fresh legs with 20 minutes remaining when he sent on striker Roy O'Donovan for the tiring Richardson as Bolton's fightback gathered pace.

At times, the home side were camped inside their own penalty area and were forced to repel wave after wave of attacks.

However, they defended with an impressive resilience and got their reward when Murphy ran on to Jones' flick on to finally kill Bolton off.

Watch the match highlights from Monday, December 31