ROY KEANE'S former mentor Alex Ferguson famously described the business end of the season as "squeaky bum time" - and this nervy performance ensured Sunderland's supporters were far from sitting comfortably at the Stadium of Light yesterday.

But, very much in the manner of all the great Manchester United sides Ferguson has produced, Keane's Sunderland team have their manager's stamp all over them.

And they held their nerve admirably to take another three points, and stay on course to win automatic promotion - a feat which looked impossible when Keane took over in August.

In hauling Sunderland from the foot of the Championship to its summit, Keane has never fielded the same starting 11 twice, and he rang the changes again yesterday.

Having started at Southampton on Monday, Liam Miller, Stephen Elliott and Tobias Hysen failed to make the cut, and were replaced by Dean Whitehead, Daryl Murphy and Ross Wallace.

And skipper Whitehead wasted little time in repaying his manager's faith as he eased Sunderland in front inside seven minutes. Nyron Nosworthy strode imperiously out of defence before playing in David Connolly, whose clever turn and deft pass found Whitehead in acres of space on the right.

Showing admirable composure, Whitehead raced into the box before sliding the ball into the bottom corner.

Scenes of wild celebration ensued, with the home supporters swiftly breaking into choruses of "That's why we're top of the league" - and even succeeding in coaxing the normally reticent Keane into giving them a rare wave.

Amid all the passion, both Murphy and Edwards went close to doubling Sunderland's lead, as the Wearsiders poured forward.

Yet, in terms of calming frayed nerves, the opening goal seemed, bizarrely, to do more for relegation-threatened Rangers than the previously buoyant Black Cats.

Left with precious little choice but to attack, John Gregory's side shook off their defensive shackles and were soon subjecting Sunderland to some unwelcome, and ultimately productive, pressure.

On 23 minutes, Dexter Blackstock tried to wriggle his way onto the end of a loose ball in the area, when Darren Ward appeared to fling out a hand to up-end him. Certainly, referee Michael Jones had no doubts and, despite the crowd's protests, he pointed at the spot. Martin Rowlands was equally decisive with his kick, keeping a cool head as he stepped up to drive emphatically past Ward.

A hush descended on the majority of the Stadium of Light, as the travelling fans taunted Sunderland with chants of "That's why we're staying up!" And as Keane paced his technical area, his charges industriously tried to restore their advantage.

But, with the sharp passing and incisive movement which has characterised recent performances absent, Sunderland struggled to make an impression. A whipped Carlos Edwards cross almost forced Damion Stewart to put through his own goal, then Daryl Murphy blazed a glorious chance wide.

Then the luckless Murphy could only look on in agony as QPR's Sam Timoska somehow headed his net-bound effort off the line five minutes before the interval.

Half time saw Keane haul off Ross Wallace, replacing him with Stern John, and switch Murphy to the left as he sought to re-ignite Sunderland. And in a frenetic start to the second half, the Black Cats clawed out chances a-plenty as they rolled relentlessly forward.

Connolly twice went close inside the opening five minutes, and a third opportunity went begging when he failed, by the narrowest of margins, to get the vital touch to a John cross. You couldn't avoid the feeling Sunderland's luck had finally run out.

With his last throw of the dice, though, Keane made a third substitution, replacing an out-of-sorts Dwight Yorke with Grant Leadbitter, and it paid off in spectacular style on 76 minutes.

Rangers' sub Paul Furlong conceded a free kick on the edge of the area and Edwards cheekily rolled it into the path of local lad Leadbitter, whose low drive found its way through a forest of legs and into the bottom corner.

It was the second time in six days Leadbitter has come off the bench to bag a winner - and he sent a close-on 40,000 crowd home contemplating Premiership football.