CHRIS IS IN A DOGFIGHT
IN-FORM Albert Adomah took just 10 minutes to give new Sunderland boss Chris Coleman a rude awakening.
The Aston Villa winger cashed in on some dreadful defending from the visitors to score his third goal in two games.
On-loan Tottenham midfielder Josh Onomah added a second for Villa early in the second half as ex-Wales boss Coleman got an early sight of his side’s defensive problems.
Sunderland started brightly and forced their first corner on eight minutes when a neat reverse pass from George Honeyman sent striker Lewis Grabban away.
He was challenged by Chris Samba and the corner came to nothing. But two minutes later Coleman’s men were behind as their woeful defence was beaten by a neat Villa move.
Onomah fed Robert Snodgrass on the right and his cross to the far post was met by an unmarked Adomah to turn home from close range.
It was the winger’s ninth goal of the season in all competitions.
Rode
Sunderland’s flimsy defence opened up again just after the halfhour and Villa almost doubled their lead in the simplest of fashions.
Snodgrass rode three weak challenges and found himself clear of the back four but goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter came to the Black Cats’ rescue with a smart save. There was more alarm for the visitors just before the break when Neil Taylor skipped down the Villa left, only to let the ball run out of play for a goal-kick when he believed it had rebounded off a Sunderland player.
Less than a minute into the second half the Black Cats almost self-destructed again when Tyias Browning’s awful pass gave Villa possession 20 yards from goal.
But Onomah’s touch let him down on the edge of the box and the chance was lost.
Villa added their second on 49 minutes with a 20-yard shot from Onomah looping off Browning and over a helpless Ruiter.
Sunderland got themselves back into it after 72 minutes when Grabban hooked in from close range but it was too little too late. HIGH-FLYING Cardiff left it late before finally breaking down stubborn Barnsley at Oakwell.
Neil Warnock’s side looked in for a frustrating night against a disciplined home side.
But just as Barnsley were eyeing a hard-fought point, they were undone seven minutes from time.
A corner from the left was met by Sol Bamba and although his effort was cleared off the line, Callum Paterson was on hand to force home.
The Bluebirds were frustrated for long periods against Paul Heckingbottom’s side.
Without top scorer Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Cardiff struggled to create opportunities in the first half.
Instead it was Barnsley who had the clearer chances, with Mamado Thiam wasting the best of them as he put a free header at the near post from Brad Potts’ cross wide of the mark.