Hartlepool United 0 Sunderland 3: Defoe double on Big Sam's farewell

Jermain Defoe scored twice and Wahbi Khazril netted in a 15-minute first-half purple patch.


Departing manager Sam Allardyce, soon to take up the England post, changed his entire side at the break and added no further goals.


Craig Hignett will not be unhappy with the night's work by Pools, the boss including all four big summer signings, Toto Nsiala, Nicky Deverdics, Lewis Alessandra and Padraig Amond.


Sunderland produced an impeccable first-half display and were unfortunate not to lead by more than three goals.


DEFOE set the scoreboard ticking in the seventh minute.


Last season's survival hero robbed Toto Nsiala and advanced on goal before finishing with aplomb with his left foot past Carson.


The lead was doubled in the 15th minute when Defoe was denied by the post but KHAZRI's right-foot finish from the edge of the area was emphatic.


And it was 3-0 in the 20th minute when DEFOE produced a beautiful finish into Carson's top right corner.


It could have been more but for a great Carson save from Jack Rodwell's injury-time shot before Lamine Kone's header from the resulting Fabio Borini corner skimmed the crossbar.


Half-time:


Pools 0


Sunderland 3


Sunderland sent on a totally new team for the second period while Hignett restricted himself to only five changes with Adam Bartlett, Carl Magnay, Lewis Hawkins, Nathan Thomas and Billy Paynter coming on.


Thomas made a difference for Pools with some lively play on the left and was unlucky not to score in the 50th minute, his header from a Lewis Hawkins corner hitting the post before being cleared.


The winger forced several corners with fellow sub Scott Harrison, facing his former club, putting himself about in the box.


Sunderland continued to threaten with Duncan Whatmore wide after a good run.


Hignett made further changes, using all 11 subs, and his side made a decent fist of it, forcing numerous corners.


Full-time:


HARTLEPOOL UNITED 0


SUNDERLAND 3

Pools: Carson, Richards (Magnay 46), Nsiala (Donnelly 69), Bates (Harrison 63), Carroll (Nearney 69), Featherstone (Green 69), Laurent (Hawkins 46), Woods (Thomas 46) Deverdics (Orrell 75), Alessandra (Oates 63), Amond (Paynter 46).


Subs: Bartlett, Magnay, Nearney, Harrison, Donnelly, Green, Hawkins, Thomas, Orrell, Paynter, Oates.


Sunderland first half: Mannone, Jones, Van aanholt, Kabol, Kone, Cattermole, Lems, Rodwell, Defoe, Khazri, Borini.


Sunderland second half: Pickford, J Robson, Ledger, Beadling, T Robson, E Robson, Honeyman, Gooch, N'Zogbia, Greenwood, Watmore


Goals: Defoe 7, 20: Khazri 15


6,021 (away 3,859)