Gills win could be Catalyst for more success
WEARSIDERS MUST BUILD ON TOP DISPLAY
SUNDERLAND’S pivotal week has come and gone.
Eight days, three games, five points, seven goals scored, five conceded, and up to third in the table.
From a points-earned perspective, it was at the lower end of the spectrum – a maximum nine points, or for some a more forgiving seven, was the return Sunderland fans were looking for from three home games to reignite their promotion campaign.
But the way they rounded off the run of fixtures with a 4-2 victory over Gillingham suggested a continuing improvement following on from last week’s draws against Blackpool and Accrington Stanley.
Sunderland’s performances in all three games were better than those in the preceding weeks, and their display against Gillingham was the pick of the bunch – more chances created, more shots on target, more goals, more entertainment.
Tuesday’s win was the Black Cats’ biggest in League One since the end of November when they beat promotion rivals Barnsley on Wearside by the same scoreline.
Not only that, Will Grigg scored from the penalty spot to notch his first goal in red and white to ease the pressure on the £4m signing.
He had gone three games without finding the net and missed good chances against Blackpool and Accrington. When he scored, the feeling of relief was palpable.
Jack Ross, his players and the fans will hope this was the game that lifted the roadblocks that have hampered Sunderland’s promotion progress since Christmas. Their first two goals came from corners with Grant Leadbitter’s delivery having turned setpieces into a key weapon since his January return. Lee Cattermole turned home the first, scoring his first ever goal at the Stadium of Light, and Tom Flanagan heading in the second, both inside the first 10 minutes. Luke O’Nien twice won penalties in the second half, the first dispatched by Grigg and the second by Aiden McGeady to give the Black Cats the two-goal cushion they needed.
But it was not a complete performance. The first-half defending left much to be desired and resulted in two poor goals conceded as the Gills struck through Tom Eaves and Brandon Hanlan, before half-time.
Clean sheets remain elusive with Sunderland keeping only eight in their 32 league games, far behind leaders Luton Town’s tally of 15 and second-placed Barnsley’s 14.
But the important thing was that Sunderland won, and that kept them firmly in the promotion hunt.
Luton remain nine points ahead of the Black Cats but Barnsley, who dropped points last night, are only four points ahead and Sunderland have a game in hand of both.
With 14 games to go, Sunderland have plenty of time to close the gap on the top two. All of Wearside will hope this win is the catalyst.