The old saying has it that pride comes before a fall. And after hitting the heights against Premiership opposition last Saturday, Sunderland were brought crashing back to earth by Cardiff City. Mick McCarthy's men are still harbouring dreams of returning to Cardiff twice more this term - for the FA Cup and play-off finals. But this latest reverse on the road was a rude awakening for them because Cardiff hadn't beaten a top half side all season. Yet once centrehalf Jocky Bjorklund had been dismissed after 16 minutes they had no problems at all seeing off Sunderland. Having somehow stayed in touch with the First Division's promotion-chasing pack despite the fact they've won just one away league game this year, they need to find a cure for their travel sickness. And find it fast. Having left Ninian Park empty-handed last night, Sunderland have now won just one of their last seven First Division games away from the Stadium of Light. They must improve on that return - or all the good work they've done under difficult circumstances so far this season will have been in vain. Bouyed by their excellent FA Cup display against Birmingham City last weekend, the Wearsiders arrived in Wales brimming with confidence nonetheless. And Mick McCarthy stuck with the same 11 who did so well against Steve Bruce's side. This was the first of three huge games in seven days for Sunderland, in a week which could have a huge bearing on how the Black Cats' season pans out. On Wednesday, of course, they've the incentive of a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals when they travel to St Andrews - and they entertain top-of-the-table Norwich City on Saturday. But the Black Cats got their big week off to the worst possible start. Defending the goal behind which their travelling band of supporters were stationed, they almost conceded inside four minutes. Cardiff's Paul Parry went within a whisker of putting the Welshmen in front, sending a 20-yarder whistling a fraction wide of Mart Poom's near post. Then Parry - who was playing Conference football with Hereford United less than six weeks ago, but made his debut for Wales in midweek - had Sunderland hearts in mouths again four minutes later. After Julio Arca had fouled the lively Richard Langley, Graham Kavanagh knocked a short free-kick to Parry and his fierce goalbound drive was on its way in until it hit his team-mate Rhys Weston. Langley was next to test Poom with a fierce drive which the Estonian did well to keep out. Before the game McCarthy had stressed to his players the importance of keeping things tight in the opening 20 minutes to quieten the fiercely partizan crowd. More by luck than judgement, Sunderland had almost managed to do that - before they shot themselves spectacularly in the foot. With 16 minutes gone, Joachim Bjorklund looked anything but the vastly experienced international defender he is when, with a dreadful lapse of concentration, he let in Langley. The Swede then had to pull the Jamaican international back on the very edge of the penalty area. Referee Phil Crossley had little option but to reach for the red card and reduce Sunderland to 10 men. As if that wasn't bad enough it was about to get worse for the Wearsiders. Sunderland's wall was far from being the best organised in the world and Kavanagh's clipped shot curled around it and crept past Poom at the foot of his post to send the Bluebirds soaring in front. McCarthy tried to re-shuffle what remained of his pack, putting Arca at leftback, switching George McCartney to centrehalf and moving Marcus Stewart to left midfield and leaving Kevin Kyle to plough a lone furrow up front. Cardiff threatened to go further in front too, as it took a great tackle from McCartney to keep Robert Earnshaw at bay a minute later. And City did double their lead on 27 minutes with Sunderland in disarray. Stewart was conspicuous by his absence as Rhys Weston romped down the right and centred for Langley who calmly sidefooted past the stranded Poom and into the net. With City cruising, Earnshaw fired inches wide before Poom pulled off a decent save to deny Weston - and Sunderland were relieved when the half-time whistle brought them brief respite. Normal service was resumed immediately after the interval though, with Cardiff penning the Black Cats into their own half. It seemed only a matter of time before City added to their tally and they duly obliged with just two minutes of the second half gone. Kavanagh curled in a corner and when the Wearsiders failed to clear their lines Earnshaw hooked the ball back in for Danny Gabbidon, whose shot went in via the underside of the bar and Poom's flailing hands. It should have been four when Earnshaw squandered a great chance, missing from four yards out after good work from Langley. Sunderland managed their first shot on target of the afternoon on the hour mark, as John Oster forced a save from City's Margetson. But the Black Cats were soon back on the back foot, as only a brave block from McCartney denied Earnshaw. And the Welsh international striker forced a fine double save from Poom minutes later, after a dreadful ball from Oster left Sunderland all at sea. Sunderland actually managed to carve out a couple of chances of their own after that though. Jeff Whitley forced a save from Margetson and from the resulting Oster corner Gary Breen headed over the bar when well-placed to score. Then Oster set Tommy Smith free but he could only blaze over, while Whitley had another shot after good work from Arca. Sunderland shipped a fourth goal though, when City substitute Alan Lee romped through after outwitting Breen and buried the ball in some style. With the Bluebirds in full flight Lee almost grabbed another before the end, but was unlucky enough to see his effort bounce to safety off the Sunderland crossbar. The final whistle finally put the Wearsiders out of their misery before City could inflict any further damage. And as the Sunderland supporters set off for the long journey back home the Welsh crowd taunted them with chants of "Are you Scotland in disguise?" JOACHIM BJORKLUND'S sending-off was the game's pivotal point - and there never looked to be a way back after Sunderland went behind from the free-kick. CARDIFF'S Willie Boland was superb through the middle and Ireland manager Brian Kerr might want to take a closer look at him. THE small minority of Sunderland fans who brought shame on their club by disrespectfully disrupting the minute silence for the legendary John Charles. IN a performance reminiscent of the bad old days of last season, Sunderland were well beaten after turning in one of their worst efforts of the current campaign. | 
