A fantastic start to the new season today for the Addicks and there will be a few pale ales sunk on the journey back from the North-East.

I listened to the game online and we were hungry and alive from the off. What really pleased me was that we created opportunities and we always sounded dangerous going forward. With Darren Bent's ability to hang on the shoulders of the last defender and the pace to take him into telling areas we have bought the kind of player we have been missing. He had a dream debut, unlike his namesake who is now added to the missing list.

After Ambose's sending off, we showed wonderful character and at 1-1, which could have easily been 0-2, and with a man down I felt we would still score and we did. How enjoyable it must have been to have been sat behind the goal and follow Murphy's free-kick into the net.

The home crowd, of which I thought was surprisingly low in number, went quiet and the back four coped admirably as Sunderland tried to find a way through it. However I was to be running around the room again in the dying minutes as Darren Bent's tired legs, Curbs said he was an injury doubt this morning, swept in his 2nd of the match and our 3rd.

It's pouring of rain here, but what the heck, the sun's out over SE7. Let me have a look at that league table.

Reports from those that were there: Addicks Diary; BBC Sport; cafc.co.uk; All Quiet.