Bradford City 0, Sunderland 4: The substitute got a standing ovation from some home fans and the Kop were quickly singing his name.

It was a hero's welcome for a player who had done a great job in a City shirt.

Yep, Michael Proctor must have been touched by the reception he got back at the club where he spent two months of last season on loan.

No visiting player has got a cheer like that since Stuart McCall came 'home' in a Sheffield United shirt.

And one other similarity, City got duffed on both occasions.

Let's face it when a visiting sub gets the loudest roar for coming on for the final two minutes, you know it's been pretty rough.

But what else is there to cheer if you're a Bantams fan?

The fact they won a handful of corners. The one shot on target (and I'm being generous). The way they 'only' lost the second half 1-0.

It was X-rated viewing for home supporters, even though the quality of Sunderland's play had to be admired.

Then again the Black Cats always save something special for West Yorkshire. This is the third time in a row they've rammed in four at City's place, where Sunderland have not been beaten since 1989.

Ten days ago Mick McCarthy's men were the latest music hall joke as they prepared to equal Darwen's century-old feat as the worst league side on record. Three wins and clean sheets later and nobody is laughing anymore, least of all Nicky Law.

He was picking up the pieces from a third defeat in a week and by far the most emphatic.

McCarthy has some sympathy for his former Barnsley team-mate. He said: "Nicky's got it tougher than I have. We've both got a lot of young fellas but we're in a much stronger position with regards the players I can sign and the wage bill we've got."

Law felt City had pushed West Ham in midweek but they were never at the races against another Premiership drop-out.

"I didn't think we were that far away at West Ham but against Sunderland the gap between the teams showed.

They had £15million worth of quality out there and it showed. We're fit and strong but you get different levels of it and Sunderland were technically better than us. They always seemed to have a spare man and as hard as we worked and tried to close them down, we just couldn't.

"They came down from the Premiership and probably weren't quite up to that level. But I would think at the end of the year they will be there in one of the two pole positions."

But what of his own side? Was this a blip or is there a long, hard season of struggle ahead?

It hardly strengthens Law's own position as he prepares for more contract talks with chairman Gordon Gibb.

Once again City offered a token attacking threat at home. Sunderland, by contrast, looked like scoring at will.

The warning lights were flashing brightly as Stephen Wright thumped a free header wide in the opening minutes. Yet from Sunderland's next set-piece, there was Gary Breen on his lonesome to nod in number one.

Gareth Edds, who was tormented by the elusive Kevin Kilbane, kicked another header from Kevin Kyle off the line but the escape was only momentary.

Back came Sunderland again as Kilbane fed Marcus Stewart to thump them 2-0 up inside 16 minutes. And bang went the contest.

On the half-hour, the Black Cats struck with the goal of the game, although Law was entitled to ask questions about the space which was left for Julio Arca to rove forward and score.

Having won the ball from Michael Standing on the edge of his own penalty area, the Argentine left back immediately launched upfield. Like Moses and the Red Sea, City parted obligingly allowing Arca to turn defence into attack.

He went unchallenged until the edge of the City box where Jason Gavin tried to close him down. But by then Arca had got the shot off and Mark Paston pawed it into the roof of the net.

The noise of Sunderland's sold-out away support was briefly matched by the volume of booing from the home stands. Now it was all about pride.

Ben Muirhead can turn any match on his day, as Norwich will testify, but Law decided to keep him on the bench. He argued that the winger's defensive frailties would be ruthlessly exposed by Kilbane and Co.

"As much as we wanted to get back in the game, we didn't want it to become five or six," said Law. "Looking at the players we had on the bench, maybe that's what would have happened."

Instead he brought on Lewis Emanuel for the disappointing Standing while Paul Heckingbottom moved forward to beef up the centre. Emanuel's presence injected extra pace and he had a good shout for a penalty turned aside by card-happy referee Phil Dowd.

But once Sunderland stepped out of cruise control it was no surprise to see a fourth goal from the excellent Sean Thornton.