Cats’ season gets a fresh Imp-etus
A SEE-SAW day which started with a report Sunderland were on the brink of administration ended with the Black Cats racking up their biggest away win for almost four years.
That report of financial difficulties was dismissed unequivocally by chief executive Jim Rodwell before kick-off - and Sunderland’s victory at Lincoln City was just as emphatic.
If the midweek EFL Trophy win at Oldham was a small step in the right direction after new head coach Lee Johnson’s false start against basement side Wigan Athletic last weekend, at Sincil Bank they took a long-legged stride.
The Black Cats arrived on the back of a five-game winless streak in the league which had seen them slip to ninth place.
They were up against an in-form Lincoln side unbeaten in four league games and whose run of three successive victories had lifted them to second in the table.
Yet Sunderland played with a new-found sense of panache and verve to put the Imps to the sword and come away with their best away victory since they beat Crystal Palace by the same scoreline at Selhurst Park in February 2017 in the Premier League.
There was a crispness and sense of purpose about the passing and a threat in front of goal, which the side has previously lacked this season.
They punished the Imps ruthlessly time and again.
Youngster Jack Diamond’s display at Oldham earned him his first league start and his positive running saw him earn a penalty when he was adjudged to have been tripped by Jorge Grant, Grant Leadbitter coolly converting.
Johnson had spoken of the importance of getting more bodies in the box and that paid off when Charlie Wyke prodded home the second goal after Conor McLaughlin’s cross had been headed back across goal by Callum McFadzean.
Man of the match Diamond added the third with a sublime chip just before halftime, having been set up by a revitalised Aiden McGeady.
However, the fourth goal 20 minutes from time was the the pick of the bunch,
Tom Flanagan snuffed out a Lincoln attack and stepped out of defence to release Chris Maguire down the right flank with a precision pass.
His cut-back was fired home by Wyke at the near post as he notched his tenth goal of the season in all competitions.
Was it a complete performance? Not quite.
There were holes to be picked, most notably the fact Sunderland rode their luck inside the first quarter-hour when they could and probably should have been two goals down - after twice allowing Brennan Johnson through one-on-one with Lee Burge.
Fortunately, the striker missed the target on both occasions - his second miss owing much to the excellent work of Burge to force him wide.
Johnson has said the aggressive, highpressing football he wants his side to play is not without risks, and this was perhaps an example of that - although as the players become more used to the system and the tactics there will be fewer of these heart-inmouth moments.
Yet, after those teething troubles, it was the way the Black Cats took control and did not let up which was so impressive.
Yes, it is only one game - and let’s not forget Phil Parkinson oversaw a 5-0 home win over Tranmere Rovers early in his reign last October which raised hopes - but the team which won here looked, well, different to that which has laboured for so much of the season.
Against a team going well near the top of the table, Sunderland looked like genuine promotion contenders.
There is still a long way to go and, while they will not win 4-0 every week, these are the type of performances they must produce on a consistent basis.
Do that, and they will rapidly climb the table and cut the five-point gap between themselves and Lincoln, who occupy that second automatic promotion place.