However, the match was decided by Bardsley's foul on Kranjcar, the Croatian bamboozling the Sunderland full-back before tumbling over his leg and Defoe dispatched the penalty with aplomb.
Alert Steed Malbranque ran round the back of slumbering marker Carlos Cuellar but, though Bardsley's deep cross cleared the Spaniard, the Black Cats midfielder steered his back-post header wide.