Bell hell for Keane

The jubilant scenes of the final day of last season seemed a distant memory for him as a goal from star man David Bell and two from Paul Furlong sent them spinning out of the Carling Cup.

To add to boss Keane's misery, defender Greg Halford was sent off for two bookable offences in 12 second-half minutes.

Like Keane, Kevin Blackwell has performed major surgery on his team in the summer, bringing in nine new recruits, and they started fluently against a Sunderland team without £9million goalkeeper Craig Gordon, one of four changes to the team beaten at home by Liverpool at the weekend.

Keane's team were sliced apart as early as the seventh minute when veteran striker Furlong found himself completely unmarked in front of goal.

He should have headed home when he was found by Richard Jackson's perfect cross from the right but planted his header well wide.

Drew Talbot then went close for Luton before Bell opened the scoring with a vicious free kick from the edge of the box. Matthew Spring's vision was matched by a wonderful pass which sent Dean Morgan accelerating away from Halford, who clumsily dragged the winger down as he burst into the penalty area.

Referee Trevor Kettle decided the foul was a foot outside the box and Halford somehow escaped without a card of any colour but it made no difference to Bell, who stepped up to unleash a fierce right-footer through a crowded goalmouth and past keeper Darren Ward.

Luton didn't stop there. Furlong rattled another free kick inches wide and then stretched the lead just before half-time.

The former Chelsea striker drifted away from his marker Nyron Nosworthy to collect Alan Goodall's long pass and lifted a bouncing ball coolly over Ward from an angle on the left.

Finally, Sunderland responded and Anthony Stokes hit the bar with a dipping effort from long range.

But it got worse for Sunderland in the 75th minute when a long ball out of defence from Luton was headed on by Bell to Furlong, who bundled the ball home.

LUTON (4-4-2): Forde; Jackson (Keane 35min), Perry, Coyne, Goodall; Bell, Robinson, Spring, Morgan; Furlong, Talbot (Andrew 78). Booked: Morgan.

SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Ward; Halford, Nosworthy, Anderson, Wallace; Stokes (Yorke 78), Etuhu (O'Donovan 61), Miller, Leadbitter; Murphy (Connolly 61), Chopra. Booked: Etuhu, Halford, Connolly, Wallace. Sent off: Halford.

Man of the match: David Bell.

Referee: Trevor Kettle.