Richardson double boosts Sunderland survival hopes

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Kieran Richardson, seen here in action against Manchester United earlier this season. (AFP)

Kieran Richardson scored twice as relegation-threatened Sunderland enjoyed a morale-boosting 2-0 Premier League win at home to Portsmouth here Sunday.

Portsmouth, whose manager Harry Redknapp on Saturday turned down an offer to manage Sunderland's north-east rivals Newcastle United, arrived at the Stadium of Light having won seven of their 11 league away matches this season - a record matched only by Chelsea.

But former Manchester United midfielder Richardson struck twice before half-time to give Sunderland manager Roy Keane - himself an Old Trafford old boy - a valuable victory as his side won in the league for only the fifth time this season.

Sunderland remained in the bottom three but this result saw them go level on points with Wigan, Birmingham and Bolton, who play Blackburn in Sunday's late Premier League fixture.

Portsmouth, who were without four first-team regulars because of the African Nations Cup, remained eighth although a win for Blackburn would see them drop down the table.

"Once they scored we became ragged," said Redknapp before refusing to use the African absentees - Papa Bouba Diop, Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka and Sulley Muntari - as an excuse for Pompey's performance.

"Sunderland played well. Obviously, I've got them four (away) and Glen Johnson and Sean Davis unfit. That's six players, we can't cope when we lose that many.

"We've been on a great run winning away from home week-in and week-out. It had to come to an end."

Redknapp said the approach from Newcastle had made life difficult.

"It's been a bit of a draining week. But now we've got to start again," insisted the Pompey boss, who indicated he would be looking to bring in new players during the remainder of this month's transfer window.

Sunderland match-winner Richardson praised his side's strikers.

"The forwards, Kenwyne Jones and Daryl Murphy, did particularly well - without them I wouldn't have scored the goals," he said.

"The team performance was great, everyone put their shift in and we deserved the three points."

Richardson, a youth team player at West Ham when Redknapp was manager of the London club, opened the scoring in the 33rd minute after Jones, a player at Southampton during Redknapp's brief spell in charge of Pompey's south coast rivals, pulled the ball back.

And he doubled Sunderland's lead a minute before half-time with a precise right-foot shot.

Benjani should have opened the scoring in the ninth minute but the Pompey striker scooped the ball wide from close range.

Niko Krancjar then went close for Portsmouth when the Croatia international's shot was well-saved by Craig Gordon.

Sunderland though went ahead when Jones beat Sol Campbell for a Jonny Evans long ball with the Pompey central defender protesting he'd been fouled.

However, play continued and Jones's byline pull-back was turned in by Richardson past Portsmouth goalkeeper David James.

The midfielder had his second when he beat Hermann Hreidarsson to a cross from Murphy.

Sunderland could have extended their lead in the second-half with Richardson twice going close to a hat-trick. First he saw a shot just go over the bar before hitting the frame of the Portsmouth goal with another well-struck shot.

Benjani might have pulled one back but an underhit shot was cleared by Evans with Gordon beaten.

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