Cats clawing way to safety; MATCH ANALYSIS James Hunter's.

Byline: James Hunter's

Sunderland ............. 1 Hull City .................. 0

SUNDERLAND made Hull boss Phil Brown eat his words as the Black Cats took a huge stride towards Premier League survival - and nudged the Tigers closer to the drop zone..

Ricky Sbragia was furious with Brown's pre-match comments branding Sunderland a team of underachievers for finding themselves embroiled in the relegation battle after spending almost pounds 80m in two years.

But Sunderland had the last

But Sunderland had the last laugh as Djibril Cisse scored the only goal of the game at the Stadium of Light to ease the Wearsiders' relegation fears.

Sunderland's first win in eight games lifted them up two places to 15th and doubled the buffer between themselves and the bottom three to four points.

And now a win at basement side West Brom on Saturday could leave Sunderland on the brink of safety.

Sbragia said: "This win gives a huge psychological boost. It was a game we had to win.

"There was a lot of pressure to win the game and it was an important three points.

"It's all about us - we can't look at how other teams are doing.

"If they falter, fantastic, but it is what we do that matters.

"We've got a big game next week as well and I feel we're just coming right at the right time.

"We've enjoyed the Hull win over the weekend but today we start again and look ahead to another big game against West Brom on Saturday." Cisse's goal came in first-half injury-time and, in truth, owed much to a stroke of good luck for Sunderland.

Replays showed the Frenchman was offside when Andy Reid's cross was flicked on by Danny Collins, but the linesman did not raise his flag and Cisse took a step back before heading home.

"We got the goal at the right time and I'm not that concerned over whether it was offside or not," admitted Sbragia. "We've had a bit of luck." Kenwyne Jones scored in Sunderland's battling 2-1 defeat against Manchester United last weekend and on Saturday it was Cisse's turn, ending a seven-game goal drought for the on-loan Marseille man.

Sbragia said: "Kenwyne got the goal last week and I said to Djib that it was just a matter of time for him - if he kept working hard it would happen.

"I thought that in general the front two were excellent and they are always a handful on their day." Sunderland dominated the game but, prior to the goal, Hull had the best chances in the first half.

Craig Gordon made an important save from former

Sunderland man Kevin Kilbane on 26 minutes after Anton Ferdinand had been caught in possession by Manucho, and then in the 44th minute skipper Phil Bardsley had to clear Dean Marney's header off the goalline.

But Cisse's goal gave Sunderland the perfect boost before the interval and the striker almost doubled Sunderland's lead less than a minute into the second

A vital win that puts Sunderland within sight of safety.

Hunter's verdict half, but this time Hull keeper Boaz Myhill came to their rescue.

Jones then had a header correctly ruled out for an offside, and on 54 minutes the Trinidad & Tobago man glanced a header wide of the target when he should have scored six yards out.

Sunderland had chances to kill the game off on the break as Hull pushed forward in search of an equaliser but could not make them count. Hull's best opportunity came when sub Caleb Folan headed a yard wide of the post 16 minutes from time.

But the Black Cats were inches away from setting the seal on the win four minutes into injury time when sub Daryl Murphy hit the inside of the post from inside the box..

SUPER SAVE Gordon's stop low to his right from Kilbane after Ferdinand had been caught in possession by Manucho.

TOP SHOT Murphy's injury-time strike which would have set the seal on the win, but the ball came back off the inside of the left-hand post.

FOR THE RECORD This win gave Sunderland their first league double of the season.

NEXT MATCH Sunderland take on West Brom at The Hawthorns on Saturday (3pm)..