Milner strikes the earliest

Sunderland - 1 Leeds United - 2:English Premiership: Leeds United at last managed to put some daylight between themselves and the relegation dog-fight, but they had the diminutive figure of James Milner to thank for dragging them back into a game in which they were very much second best.

Milner became the youngest goalscorer in the Premiership when he slithered in to meet a wicked cross from Jason Wilcox just after half-time, but more important to the visitors was the confidence he restored in them. They had been wilting visibly during the first half.

Terry Venables, whose day was made by a late penalty winner from Robbie Fowler, must now think his luck is beginning to turn. Injuries had robbed him of Jonathan Woodgate - which meant he had to pair two full-backs, Danny Mills and Teddy Lucic, in central defence - and Lee Bowyer, who had an ankle injury.

Milner was probably the last man Venables was pinning his hopes on, especially because the boy replaced Alan Smith, Leeds' liveliest player, who had been kicked in the face by Tore Andre Flo.

Sunderland had gone ahead between the two events when Michael Proctor had soared above the defence to rattle in a header off the underside of the bar.

But Milner was not out of his depth, and showed an impressive work rate on the right, spiced with mazy bursts of acceleration that gave Sunderland's captain, Michael Gray, more than enough to think about.

"Our first-team players have a terrific respect for him," Venables said. "That will have given him the confidence to know he can get goals against quality opposition. He proved today by getting in there that anything can happen."

Leeds may now be over the worst. They have taken seven points from their past three games and will go into the match against Chelsea tomorrow fancying their chances.

Sunderland, however, will be ruing those that they missed. Kevin Phillips might have scored twice yesterday and Sunderland will travel to Southampton wondering how they let this one slip. They are now perilously placed, third from bottom.

The game was settled eight minutes from time and against the run of play. Proctor brought down Harry Kewell as he burst into the penalty area from the left and up stepped Fowler with a lazy shimmy to send Jurgen Macho the wrong way.

Guardian Service

SUNDERLAND: Macho, Gray, Babb, Craddock, Wright, Kilbane, Thirlwell (McCartney 82), McCann, Proctor (Stewart 82), Phillips, Flo (Kyle 82). Subs Not Used: Ingham, Bjorklund. Goals: Proctor 34.

LEEDS: Robinson, Kelly, Lucic, Mills, Harte (Duberry 58), Smith (Milner 36), Bakke, Okon, Wilcox, Viduka (Fowler 77), Kewell. Subs Not Used: Martyn, Seth Johnson. Booked: Viduka. Goals: Milner 51, Fowler 80 pen.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).