Kitson wins it for Stoke

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The £5.5million buy grabbed the winner in the 43rd minute after Sunderland failed to clear a corner from Liam Lawrence.

It was Kitson's second goal inside a week - he was also on traget in the Carling Cup victory against Leyton Orient.

There was a scare for the visitors after only four minutes when goalkeeper Craig Gordon was left on the floor after a challenge from Kitson. Fortunately he had only been winded.

The visitors responded and Darren Bent found space inside the area, only to see his shot blocked by Abdoulaye Faye.

Danny Higginbotham then did well to block Bent's effort after the Sunderland striker played a neat one-two with Kenwyne Jones.

Play switched down the other end and Jones got in the way of a thunderbolt from Glenn Whelan and Gordon then had to look alert in the 36th minute to take the ball off Liam Lawrence after a soft back pass from Anton Ferdinand.

Stoke made the breakthrough in the 43rd minute following a goalmouth scramble. Sunderland failed to clear Liam Lawrence's corner and Kitson was on hand to score.

Lawrence almost added a second for the home side in the 48th minute but Phil Bardsley cleared his effort off the line, while Rory Delap tried to pick out Ricardo Fuller when a shot looked on and the chance was wasted because of a poor pass.

Ryan Shawcross got on the end of a free-kick from Lawrence but his touch was poor and Gordon was able to save. Kitson and Fuller both missed late chances to double the hosts' lead.