BULLIED BY THE BAGGIES; Whipping boys plunge Sbragia's Black Kittens into relegation mire.

Byline: ANN GRIPPER

RICKY SBRAGIA admitted he was hurt and embarrassed after this hapless defeat - Sunderland fans should just be very, very worried.

Losing to rock-bottom West Brom dropped the Black Cats right into the relegation mess and on this showing you would not back them to get out of it.

While Ipswich were enjoying the new dawn and bright optimism of a first match and first win under Roy Keane, Sunderland are still dealing with the way things went sour under the rookie boss.

Taking over at Portman Road on Thursday, Keane complained he "didn't have the right characters at Sunderland." Well, he bought them - and the team put together by the Irishman showed just what he meant at the Hawthorns.

Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse were the worst offenders, the pounds 12million-rated strikeforce making absolutely no impression on the worst defence in the league.

But their dreadful performances were matched all over the park, with left-back Danny Collins looking like a novice and Anton Ferdinand faring little better alongside him.

"A shambles from start to finish," admitted skipper Phil Bardsley. "We weren't at the races. We weren't good enough and we got punished.

"If we are to survive in this league we've got to be better than that." Midfielder Carlos Edwards added: "In the battle that we find ourselves in with four games to go we cannot afford any more bad days at the office.

"It was just one of those days when the communication was lacking and we got bullied." Bullied by West Brom? Oh dear. Still only four points clear of the drop zone, with 12 points to play for and Bolton, Pompey, Chelsea and Everton to face, the Black Cats need to put things right fast.

The visitors started brightly enough and, when Kieran Richardson was allowed to run into space and fire off a viciously swerving shot, Scott Carson had to pull off a flying save.

But the in-form Chris Brunt was also peppering the Sunderland goal with shots to hint at what was to come.

Albion took the lead on 40 minutes when Abdoulaye Meite flicked on Jonathan Greening's corner and Jonas Olsson swept the ball under Marton Fulop.

And there is no doubt that West Brom can play a bit when the opposition lets them. Brunt spread the ball right to Marc- Antoine Fortune, whose workrate put the Sunderland front pair to shame, before running on unchallenged to collect the cut-back and double West Brom's lead on 58 minutes.

Then Cisse made his most significant contribution of the afternoon, diverting Teemu Tainio's goal-bound shot over the bar.

By this time West Brom's keep-ball game was earning gleeful 'ols' from the crowd and the Black Cats just could not work out how to get involved.

Substitute Juan Carlos Menseguez completed the scoring two minutes from time when he collected Brunt's pass, turned Ferdinand, and applied a classy finish for his first Baggies goal.

The video analysis will not make pretty viewing for the worried Sunderland players today.

"I hope they are ashamed and embarrassed," fumed Sbragia. "They should be. It's not acceptable for players wearing the Sunderland top.

"Sunderland fans have always been die-hards, they've always stuck with us. They've spent a lot of money, they come and support us, and the one thing we should give them is commitment.

"It hurts me too. I know how they feel - I just hope the players appreciate that."

CAPTION(S):

ROCKY SBRAGIA Brunt makes it 2-0 and it's grim for the Sunderland boss Jonas Olsson celebrates his goal but Sunderland's Cisse and Jones failed to fire