Gillingham 0 Sunderland 4

AN ARGUMENT between Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy and striker proved disastrous for Gillingham on Saturday.

The pair had fallen out after McCarthy had substituted Stewart at Reading and the former Ipswich hit-man proved a point to his boss with a hat-trick at Priestfield.

Stephen Elliott also hit the back of the net as Sunderland cruised to a 4-0 victory over an out-of-sorts Gills team.

And it was player-manager Andy Hessenthaler who was entitled to fall out with his players for a 90-minute display of ineptitude. Players failed to track back, tackles were missed and clearances botched as Sunderland outclassed the home side at Priestfield for the second season running.

Last November the Black Cats had turned on the style in the second half to claim a 3-1 win, but on Saturday it was the opening 20 minutes when they did all the damage.

The Wearsiders came into the game with just one win from their opening six league games and with several players still recovering from last week's international programme. But their poor form was nowhere to be seen as they went ahead in the fourth minute – Stewart poucing on a rebound after Steve Banks blocked Elliot’s effort.

The early goal shocked Gillingham and the home side struggled to keep possession in the early stages. They also found it difficult to deal with Sunderland left-side duo of Julio Arca and McCartney.

Time after time they swept past Ian Cox, who - in his defence - received little support from right-midfielder Matt Jarvis.

Arca drew Cox in the 17th minute and slipped the ball through for the overlapping McCartney to hit a left-foot cross that allowed Elliott to score with a diving header.

Three minutes later McCartney created another goal with another cross from the left. The ball found Stewart in the area and after his first shot was blocked he took his second bite of the cherry, slamming the ball past Banks.

At 3-0 the game was effectively over after 20 minutes but Sunderland - who had scored just one goal in their three previous away games - wanted more.

Before the first half was over, Johnson had been forced to make a goalline clearance from a Dean Whitehead cross-shot and Banks had saved well from an Elliott overhead kick and an Arca free kick.

The second half continued in much the same manner, with Gillingham fighting to keep the floodgates closed.

Banks, despite conceding four goals, was Gillingham's best player. The keeper showed why he is keeping Jason Brown out of the side with great saves from Elliott in the 55th and 59th minutes.

Gillingham finally had their first effort on goal on 62 minutes, but Danny Spiller's free kick whistled wide off Mart Poom's post. That was to be as good as it got for the Gills.

Stewart finally completed his hat-trick in the 68th minute thanks to generosity of Johnson. The centre-half woefully under-hit a back pass towards the keeper, allowing the Sunderland forward to intercept and roll the ball into an empty net.

With a 4-0 lead, the visitors finally took the foot off the pedal and allowed substitute Patrick Agyemang to give the crowd some cheer with some dazzling runs in the closing minutes.

But his entertaining cameo didn't stop the boos ringing out round Priestfield at the final whistle as the fans delivered their verdict on an appalling display by the Gills.