Maguire’s late winner keeping dream alive

CHRIS MAGUIRE rekindled Sunderland’s promotion hopes with a late winner.

Six wins in nine games and just one defeat – with five clean sheets – and there’s a head of steam building around Sunderland’s recent revival.

Fresh from collecting the League One Manager of the Month award for January, Phil Parkinson has fired up a side that failed to win for almost two months before the end of December.

They are now firmly in the frame to earn a play-off place come May.

Ipswich are heading in the opposite direction, out of the top six for the first time since August, having suffered three losses in a row, and just claimed three wins since the end of November.

Former Sunderland chairman Bob Murray and MD John Fickling watched and celebrated with under-fire owner Stewart Donald in the directors’ box.

Not quite the heights of the good old days, but 32,726 were in the Stadium of Light. Six weeks ago fans demanded Donald and Parkinson clear off after it appeared the gamble to sack Jack Ross had not paid off.

But the emphasis is on the football again, especially when Maguire fired home from 20 yards after bustling Charlie Wyke made room and laid off on the edge of the area.

Parkinson said: “We grew into the first half and sped the game up second half, and when we did that there was only one winner.

“It is a deserved win against a good team. Chris had a calmness to win tight games and he is clinical in those situations.

Ipswich boss Paul Lambert said: “We were excellent first half and should have been two up. You earn your corn at the top end of the pitch.”