Three months ago Roy Keane's side clinched the Coca-Cola Championship title with a 5-0 win at Kenilworth Road, but although the two teams are two divisions apart now the match could hardly have been more different.

Goalkeeper Darren Ward, one of four changes made by Keane, was beaten first by a 15th-minute free-kick by David Bell and then twice by 37-year-old Paul Furlong, who lobbed him after 41 minutes and found the target again with 15 minutes remaining.

Sunderland were down to 10 men for the final 30 minutes, right-back Greg Halford sent off for deliberately handling the ball, his second bookable offence.

That the incident came in Luton's half rather than deep in defence summed up the visitors' woes.

"Premiership, you're having a laugh," was the refrain from the home fans from early on and they had no need to find a different song as the match progressed.

On this showing the clubs could be facing each other in league action again next season, but Keane did not have his full strength side out and is hoping to make improvements.

Stoke captain Danny Higginbotham is set to join in a $6million move.

The first clear-cut chance fell to recent signing Furlong, who could hardly believe it when he was unmarked in meeting Robinson's cross from the right in the seventh minute, but on that occasion he headed wide.

Eight minutes later Luton were deservedly ahead. Morgan was adjudged by referee Trevor Kettle to have been brought down just on the edge of the box by Halford and from the free-kick Bell's shot flew past Ward into the net.

Daryl Murphy and Anthony Stokes both had shots as Sunderland tried to hit straight back, but when Luton broke away they put the visitors under pressure again immediately.

Nosworthy brought down Furlong just outside the area and although Bell shaped to have another shot at goal he left it to Furlong this time and the effort went wide.

After 29 minutes Etuhu was booked for a foul and he could have been in real trouble only three minutes later when he was caught shirt-pulling.

However, referee Kettle chose not to pull out another yellow card and he stayed on the pitch.

Luton were forced into a substitution shortly afterwards, Keith Keane replacing Jackson, who had been struggling with what looked like a groin strain.

Stokes twice threatened to bring Sunderland back into it, but when Goodall put Furlong clean through on the left side of the penalty box the former Chelsea man coolly lobbed Ward into the net.

Just before the break Stokes hit the bar with another long-range attempt. The rebound fell to Michael Chopra, but his header was saved on the line by David Forde.

Sunderland were much livelier at the start of the second period, but when Drew Talbot had a chance to chase a long ball Halford was booked for pulling him back.

Halford then had to hack away a Bell shot as Luton continued to frustrate their opponents and when Leadbitter had a chance to halve the deficit after 57 minutes his left-foot effort flew high and wide.

Sunderland were really up against it once Halford had gone on and despite all the changes Keane made it was Luton's night, Furlong's second goal completing the one-sided upset.