Bolton deepen Black Cats' gloom

Djibril Cisse had given the home side an early lead but it was cancelled out by Matt Taylor within six minutes and then Gary Cahill swept the visitors ahead three minutes later.

Elmander punished a Danny Collins error with a fine left-foot finish before the break and repeated the feat nine minutes into the second half after Dean Whitehead's blunder played him in.

Cisse finished off a fine move involving Kieran Richardson and Steed Malbranque to give his side a deserved lead.

But the visitors were level in the 17th minute when Gretar Steinsson's deep right-wing cross was met by a looping header from Taylor in the box which nudged home off the underside of the bar.

Wanderers grabbed the lead three minutes later when Andy O'Brien launched a long free-kick into the box and the ball sprang loose to Cahill, who lashed it home past Craig Gordon.

Sunderland thought they were level on the half-hour when Cisse then had a goal disallowed by referee Chris Foy after he ruled Kenwyne Jones had fouled Jlloyd Samuel while climbing for the ball to win Phil Bardsley's cross.

The non-stop action continued at the other end with Elmander bursting clear and rounding the struggling Gordon on the edge of the box before screwing a left-foot shot wide from a tight angle.

Bolton increased their lead in the 38th minute when Danny Collins made a complete mess of a long punt out of the visitors' box, allowing Elmander to nip in and prod the easiest of chances past Gordon.

And the home side blew it again in the 54th minute when Whitehead stumbled over a clearance and let in Kevin Nolan to feed Elmander, who fired home his second from the left side of the box.