Town moved up to fourth in Division One as they put in their best performance of the season to beat Sunderland 1-0 at Portman Road. Tommy Miller scored from the spot in first half injury time, after Black Cats' keeper Thomas Myhre had pulled down Darren Bent.

The Blues made two changes from the side which beat Rotherham at the weekend. Fabian Wilnis returned at right-back in place of Drissa Diallo, while Shefki Kuqi took over up front from Dean Bowditch, who dropped to the bench. Richard Naylor also featured amongst the subs, for the first time since his broken toe.

Ex-Blue Marcus Stewart was on the Sunderland bench and received an ovation from the home fans when his name was read out in the Black Cats' line-up. The Bristolian stepped out of the dug-out to acknowledge the applause.

Darren Bent was involved in the first serious goalmouth action of the game in the third minute, his shot from a cross on the left deflecting for a corner. A few minutes later Tommy Miller shot well over from 25 yards.

There was a scare for the visiting defence in the 12th minute when a quickly taken Jim Magilton freekick sent Darren Bent away. Fortunately for Mick McCarthy's side a linesman had raised his flag.

Sunderland were within a whisker of a goal in the 14th minute, a Sean Thornton corner getting a flick on by Kevin Kyle and Jermaine Wright putting over the bar at the far post from close range with Darren Byfield lurking behind him. From the corner, Kelvin Davis saved at point blank from Byfield but the referee's whistle had already gone.

Three minutes later, a deflected Fabian Wilnis cross from the right forced Myhre into a panicky looking punch, however, the Norwegian managed to get some distance on his clearance.

Shefki Kuqi was in the thick of the early action, giving Arca a tricky time down the Town right. On 20 he struck a powerful shot which flew just wide of Myhre's goal.

Fabian Wilnis, making his 200th appearance for Town, made an important challenge in the 25th minute, nipping in ahead of Byfield with the former Walsall and Rotherham man in a dangerous position as a cross came over from the Sunderland right.

On 34 Darren Bent got his head to a Jim Magilton corner from the right but couldn't get any power on his effort, the ball striking a defender before being cleared.

Sean Thornton won Sunderland a corner in the 36th minute, from which Kevin Kyle headed over the bar when he ought to have done better.

At the other end Darren Bent latched on to an Ian Westlake flick, the England U21 international shooting powerfully but well over.

On 41 Jason McAteer picked up a yellow card for a foul on Ian Westlake on the edge of the Sunderland box. Jim Magilton's kick was deflected over the bar off the wall.

Town were much the better side but still hadn't turned their pressure into goals. With a minute left until the break John Oster lost the ball to Fabian Wilnis on the Town right with Myhre out of his goal. The Blues eventually got the ball to Jermaine Wright inside the area but his shot at the empty goal was blocked.

However, the goal Town deserved wasn't long in coming. Ian Westlake received the ball from Matt Richards and played the ball into the path of Darren Bent. The striker chased the ball into the box and flicked the ball to his left as Myhre rushed off his line and sent him crashing to the ground.

Referee Lee Mason had no doubt that it was a penalty and pointed to the spot. Tommy Miller took the kick, putting it powerfully to the keeper's left and into the corner of the net, keeping up his 100% penalty record for both Town and Hartlepool.

Portman Road has seen a lot of first half injury time goals this season, but one for the home side is a bit of a rarity. The Blues were good value for their lead, showing a great deal of desire and for much of the half passing as fluently as at any time this season.

Darren Bent wasn't too far from a Town second soon after the break, seizing on a loose ball on the edge of the box but screwing his shot just wide.

At the other end John McGreal, imperious throughout, made an important challenge on Byfield after he had momentarily got away from the Blues' backline. Less than a minute later the former Tranmere man made a similarly strong tackle on Kyle.

Oster shot straight to Kelvin Davis in the 50th minute, before Matt Elliott struck a Tommy Miller cross first time but beat Myhre's left post.

There was a moment of concern for Town three minutes later, when Kelvin Davis fumbled a corner when under pressure from man-mountain Kyle. Fortunately, the Blues' glovesman recovered quickly and cleared his lines.

The game had been an entertaining end-to-end affair in the first half and was proving to be much the same in the second. On 55 Shefki Kuqi was close to putting Town two-up with a shot from the left which was blocked on the line by Phil Babb.

Former Town striker Marcus Stewart was introduced on 66 for Oster, the striker receiving a warm welcome from his old fans. Not long after coming on Town's 2000/01 top scorer headed a difficult McAteer cross wide.

Fine work on the left from Matt Richards led to an opening for Darren Bent, but Myhre was equal to the in-form front man's shot.

Kelvin Davis did well to save a Sean Thornton freekick from 20 yards on 78, before John McGreal picked up a yellow card for a foul on Byfield. The Sunderland striker got himself in the book moments later for a foul on Westlake.

Town were by now sitting back on their lead and occasionally catching the visitors on the break, while still enjoying a significant amount of possession.

Kelvin Davis saved a Kevin Kyle cross-shot from a tight angle on the left with six minutes remaining, before Gary Breen picked up a yellow card for pulling back Darren Bent as the striker chased a Richards ball over the top.

With two minutes remaining Shefki Kuqi was replaced by Georges Santos as the Blues continued to defend their lead with uncharacteristic solidity.

Jim Magilton curled a freekick into a Sunderland wall with a couple of minutes left. Town really should have gone two goals up as the game entered injury time, first via Tommy Miller and then as Darren Bent following up had three attempts from less than 10 yards out blocked by defenders.

There were few nervous moments in time added on before Mr Mason's whistle was followed by perhaps the loudest cheer of the season, on an afternoon when Portman Road was in full voice.

Certainly the best home performance of the season against one of the division's top sides. There were fine displays throughout the side with the defence looking very solid indeed, winning only their second clean sheet of 2004.

The midfield four, who seemed to rotate roles throughout the game, got much the better of the opposition and up front Darren Bent and Shefki Kuqi caused a lot of problems. The Finn probably had his best game from a defensive perspective for some while in addition to his attacking work.

An ideal moment to put in the best display of the season and gain a confidence-boosting result against one of the more impressive teams in Division One. Gillingham next week should be another three points, and will further help to seal Town's position in the play-offs.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Richards, McGreal, Elliott, Magilton, Miller, Wright, Westlake, Kuqi (Santos 88), Bent.

Photo: Action Images

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