HAB-A-GO HERO

Diarra spot-on as Black Cats end ‘March hoodoo

- BY JEREMY CROSS

SOME things are worth the wait.

But this first topflight meeting between these two sides at Elland Road since 2002 was certainly not one of them.

On anight memorable for how forgettable it was, Leeds and Sunderland did nothing to dispel the feeling that the Premier League is not the product it once was.

It took a dubious second-half penalty from Habib Diarra to separate them, earning the Black Cats their first league win on the road since October.

It was also their first topflight triumph in this month since 2012 - ending their slides of March.

Sunderland had arrived without a win from their last nine games away from home. And it wasn't difficult to see why.