Blues' Carling Cup campaign ended with a whimper at the Stadium of Light as the visitors rarely troubled the hosts and were knocked out at the third round hurdle.

A long injury list restricted manager Alex McLeish's options - once again he was only able to name six subs - and that didn't help matters but the man at the helm would be making no excuses as his side were second best to a lively Sunderland side.

First half goals from Jordan Henderson, after just four minutes, and Fraizer Campbell, on 23, were ultimately enough put the Black Cats in the draw for the fourth round and send Birmingham south with some thinking to do ahead of the weekend's home Premier League game against Bolton.

A major positive though was seeing defender Liam Ridgewell make a remarkable return to action - just five months after sustaining a double leg break.

Ridge, who was expected to be out of the game for at least ten months but who made it back into the team in double-quick time, occupied the left-back position at the Stadium of Light and lasted the full 90 minutes.

There was also a place in the side for Academy product Ashley Sammons. The 17-year-old made his full Blues debut and there were starts for Jay O'Shea and Giovanny Espinoza too.

Striker Kevin Phillips came in to the side to face one of his former clubs. He partnered Garry O'Connor up front.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart was rested, meaning a return to first team action for Northern Ireland international Maik Taylor and there was a place on the bench for 17-year-old Academy defender Dan Preston, awarded a squad number only 24 hours before the game.

Former Blues manager Steve Bruce named a side which included a strikeforce of Kenwyne Jones and Fraizer Campbell as well as starts for recent acquisitions John Mensah and Paulo Da Silva.

And the home side couldn't have got off to a better start. After the sides had sparred with each other in the opening stages the Black Cats took the lead after just four minutes.

Phillips lost position as Blues made strides into the hosts' half and Da Silva released Jones down the right. He took on Ridgewell and cut the ball back to the onrushing Jordan Henderson who had burst through the middle and slotted home past Taylor's outstretched right arm from 14 yards.

On eight minutes Steed Malbranque burst clear down the right and crossed deep for the head of Campbell but thankfully his effort, which looked on target, deflected harmlessly behind off Espinoza.

Blues had started slowly but began to rally and O'Shea cleverly crafted some space for himself before unleashing a fierce shot from 20 yards that was blocked by John Mensah.

On the quarter-hour mark the visitors had a couple of bites of the cherry to whip the ball off the boot of Campbell inside the penalty area but somehow he was allowed to keep possession and square the ball back to Jones who took a touch before prodding an effort goalwards, one that was saved by the feet of Taylor.

With 18 played Gary McSheffrey left fly with a decent angled effort from 25 yards. It was well worth a go but in truth Craig Gordon had his angles covered and the keeper watched on as the ball flew four yards wide.

But things were about to get worse for Alex McLeish's men as, on 23, they went two behind. Andy Reid was given too much space out on the left and his lofted ball into the area was perfectly onto the head of Campbell, who from a central position six yards out nodded it home.

The game lost something of its ebb and flow as the first half ticked away but on 40 Blues were presented with a great setpiece opportunity when O'Shea was tripped just outside the box. McSheffrey stepped up and curled a weak effort straight into the wall.

On 43 Blues produced a get out of jail free card when Kieran Richardson's cross from the left floated over the head of Taylor and skimmed the bar. Sunderland were hungry for a third before the break and almost got until Lorik Cana's header from a corner deflected behind off Stuart Parnaby.

Six minutes after the interval Blues strung together a lovely move that resulted in a corner following Parnaby's cross and although nothing came of it was a positive sign of intent.

But Sunderland were still looking potent going forward and the pressure was soon on the visitors again when first Parnaby blocked a Reid shot from the edge of the area inside the six-yard box and then Cana curled a long range effort into the grateful arms of Taylor.

On 57 Mensah rose highest in the Blues penalty area with a header and then knocked home the rebound. The home fans thought their side were 3-0 up and the scoreboards behind both nets signalled 'GOAL' but referee Mike Dean had already ruled the strike out due to a Jones foul on Taylor.

On the hour-mark Mensah blocked an O'Connor shot from 12 yards before, at the other end, Ferguson flicked a header from Red's left-sided cross over his own keeper and behind for a corner.

McLeish made the first change of the game on 63 and when it came it was a double substitution, Lee Bowyer replacing O'Shea and Keith Fahey coming on for Ferguson.

The first booking of the game came on 65 when Campbell turned Espinoza and the giant Ecuadorian dragged him down. Referee Dean was quick to brandish his card.

Jones fired over the bar as the hosts pushed on again and then Malbranque received a warm round of applause from the home fans as he was replaced by David Healy.

On 79 Richardson was booked for fouling Parnaby and the Blues man was stretchered off, to be replaced by debutant Dan Preston, who was later booked in injury time for hauling back Henderson.

The game began to fade as a contest as the clock ran down and although Blues kept pushing forward in pursuit of some sort of glory it was the Black Cats that triumphed and earned their place in the next round.

Sunderland: Craig Gordon, Paulo Da Silva, John Mensah, Michael Turner, Lorik Cana (C) (Nyron Nosworthy 86), Steed Malbranque (David Healy 74), Jordan Henderson, Kieran Richardson, Andy Reid, Kenwyne Jones (Daryl Murphy 80), Fraizer Campbell. Unused subs: Trevor Carson, Anton Ferdinand, Phil Bardsley, Darren Bent.

Blues: Maik Taylor, Stuart Parnaby (Dan Preston 80), Scott Dann, Giovanny Espinoza, Liam Ridgewell, Jay O'Shea (Lee Bowyer 63), Barry Ferguson (Keith Fahey 63), Ashley Sammons, Gary McSheffrey, Kevin Phillips (C), Garry O'Connor. Unused subs: Colin Doyle, Chucho, Roger Johnson.

Referee: Mike Dean

Goals: Jordan Henderson (4), Fraizer Campbell (23)

Bookings: Giovanny Espinoza (65), Kieran Richardson (79), Dan Preston (90)

Attendance: 20,576 (249 Blues fans)