The curtains, on what has been an eventful season at Kenilworth Road, finally closed with Sunderland capturing the Championship league title following a comfortable victory.

For the Hatters, life now begins for League One football next season and the difference between these two sides was clear from the start as Sunderland raced into a two goal lead after just six minutes.

Anthony Stokes broke the deadlock after four minutes and that was added to just moments later by Daryl Murphy.

The game was virtually over as a contest just 50 seconds after the restart with Murphy grabbing his second before goals from Ross Wallace and David Connolly completed a miserable afternoon for the Hatters.

With Kevin Foley undergoing an operation on an ankle injury during the week, Hatters boss Kevin Blackwell was forced into one change from the side that won against Southend United last weekend.

That meant Keith Keane made a return at full-back with Chris Coyne fit to play despite suffering from concussion at Roots Hall.

Sunderland's task for the afternoon was simple. A victory could lead them to the Championship title should Birmingham slip up at Preston.

With so much riding for the visitors, a sea of red and white shirts dominated the Oak Road end of Kenilworth Road.

The Black Cats made four changes to the side which defeated Burnley recently as goalkeeper Marton Fulop, Stephen Wright, Grant Leadbitter and Dwight Yorke all returned to the starting line-up, which included former Hatter Carlos Edwards.

Luton had barely settled into the game when Sunderland made an explosive start with two goals in the opening six minutes.

The opening goal arrived in fine style in the fourth minute as Stokes played a smart one two with Murphy and after receiving a pass on the edge of the area, the former Arsenal trainee delivered a well executed side-footed shot into the corner of the net.

Two minutes later Sunderland were firmly in the driving seat as a sweetly struck shot from Murphy left Brill helpless. After a long ball out of defence was taken down by Edwards, the former Luton midfielder picked out his striker, who smashed home a 25-yard pile driver into the roof of the net.

Luton began to soak up the pressure and finally registered their first shot of the afternoon after Matthew Spring picked up a pass from the flank, but despite given the freedom to shoot, the former Leeds midfielder dragged a long range effort wide.

But the Hatters couldn't find answers to Sunderland's free flowing football and Grant Leadbitter's pinpoint pass to Edwards down the right on 19 minutes almost saw the Trinidad and Tobago midfielder find the net, but his acute angle shot was deflected wide.

The pace of the game began to slow, but Brill kept Luton in the game with a smart save in the 36th minute.

Edwards cut inside from the flank to pick out Stokes on the left whose fierce drive was matched by the Brill's dive to his right. The danger had not passed as Luton failed to clear their lines and as the ball broke loose, Leadbitter belted another right-footed effort that Brill was able to gather.

The first half almost ended in spectacular style as Sunderland's dominance in the opening 45 minute nearly resulted in a third, but Leadbitter, who was the pick of the players for the visitors, came close from 35-yards, hitting a free-kick over the crossbar.

AT HALF TIME: LUTON 0 V 2 SUNDERLAND

It was all so simple for the visitors as they made the game safe just 50 seconds after the restart. After Keane gave the ball away inside his own half, Leadbitter slipped a pass to Stokes, who low cross was tucked away by the unmarked Murphy.

The visitors almost added a fourth in the 52nd minute when Danny Collins played in Stokes down the left and after skipping past a challenge from Leon Barnett and Markus Heikkinen, the Sunderland striker was denied by a save from Brill at his near post.

Luton had rarely threatened throughout the game, but the home side thought they should have been awarded a penalty when Besian Idrizaj went down under a challenge from Jonny Evans. But Lancashire official Lee Mason awarded a free-kick right on the edge of Sunderland area, much to the frustration of Hatters supporters.

Edwards should have extended Sunderland's lead in the 61st minute when Connolly slipped a through ball to the winger, but after going clean through on goal, he scuffed his effort wide.

Sunderland were continuing to show signs of a Premiership outfit and Leadbitter's ball from left to right picked out Edwards in the 72nd minute, who dragged a cross back into the area, only for Connolly to lose his footing at the vital moment after rounding the onrushing Brill.

Luton's best chance of the game arrived two minutes later when Spring's cross from the left found Coyne, who lost his marker but headed inches wide of the Sunderland post.

The visitors continued to run riot and it was little surprise when they added a fourth through Wallace's sweetly-struck long range effort, after the substitute picked up a pass from Stern John and unleashed a right footed effort that nestled neatly into the corner of the net.

The fifth goal of the afternoon arrived just three minutes before the final whistle when Connolly got onto the end of Leadbitter cross from a free-kick to steer the ball beyond the reach of Brill

AT FULL TIME: LUTON 0 V 5 SUNDERLAND

Luton: Brill, Coyne, Spring, O'Leary (Langley 55), Emanuel, Keane, Idrizaj, Barnett, Heikkinen, Bell (Brkovic 61), Andrew

Subs not used: Perrett, Boyd, Talbot

Bookings: Coyne (43), Idrizaj (45), Keane (86), Brkovic (90)

Sunderland: Fulop, Wright, Evans, Edwards (Wallace 76), Whitehead (Connolly 58), Stokes, Murphy (John 58), Nosworthy, Collins, Leadbitter, Yorke

Subs not used: Varga, Miller

Bookings: Stokes (26), Evans (56), Collins (81)

Referee: Mr L Mason

Attendance: 10,260 (1,800 from Sunderland)