All three goals came in the opening forty-five minutes at Durham City AFC's Archibalds Stadium.
Ian Graham opened the scoring for the hosts after 19 minutes but Blues young England international striker Sone Aluko levelled matters just six minutes later.
Graham then scored his and Sunderland's second ten minutes before the break.
Sunderland: Alnwick, Wright, Taylor, Stubbs, D. Smith, Dennehy, Woods, Leadbitter, Weir, Welsh, Graham. Subs: Backhouse, Christensen, Richardson, McFarlane, Davison.
Blues: Legzdins, Sadler, Bruce, Blake, Alsop, Wright, Howland, Aluko, McPike, Birley. Subs: James Johnson, Mark Hall, Asa Hall, Daren Campion, Jamie Price.