Focus on promotion after cup win – O’Nien

BLACK CATS STAR SAYS EYE IS BACK ON LEAGUE AFTER ‘AMAZING’ WEMBLEY

SUNDERLAND’S EFL Trophy win was a “special” day for Luke O’Nien – but he insists the Black Cats have no time to dwell on the memory as they switch their focus back to securing promotion.

Lynden Gooch’s goal proved decisive against Tranmere Rovers, ending the Wearsiders’ eight-game losing streak at Wembley as they won their first cup final since 1973.

But a little over 72 hours after lifting silverware they are be back in League One action as they head to Lancashire to take on Accrington Stanley tonight.

Fourth-placed Sunderland will go to the Crown Ground on the back of a seven-game unbeaten run in the league, in which they have taken 19 out of 21 points available.

“It was pretty amazing,” said O’Nien of the Wembley win.

“I’m just letting it all sink in – to finally win at Wembley. It’s been a long wait and I think everyone was aware of the history.

“So to finally get the win, to lift some silverware, it was a special day for many people who have worked very hard to get there.

“I’ll just remember Goochy sticking the ball in the net. What a great goal it was. He’s a hero.

“That final whistle going and seeing the joy on everyone’s faces, it was special. Then everyone was picking up the trophy, taking photos, Facetiming family, because there were a lot of people on and off the pitch who had put in a lot of work so this was a rewarding moment.

“Then going home to my little girl and putting the medal round her neck...it was just an incredible day.

“It’ll live long in the memory. “It’s still sinking in now but we enjoyed it, and now our focus is on the league.

“We are into just the usual week now. We are doing our homework on the opposition and training. What has happened was great but it is in the past now. The memories are great but we have to look to the future, because there are a lot of games coming up and now we have to focus on those.

“We had a good training session yesterday and everyone is looking forward to the Accy game.

“There have been a lot of strong performances going into this game, and we have to continue producing those and pick up some points.

“We are all enjoying the regular games. It’s different stadiums, different pitches, different personnel, but it’s our job to adapt to the situation and that’s what we will have to do down at Accy. We’ve built up a bit of momentum but they are good side so we have to keep producing performances, and the points will come.”

Lee Johnson will have Dion Sanderson, Carl Winchester, and Jake Vokins available again at Accrington after they were cuptied at the weekend.

The Wembley win laid some ghosts to rest for O’Nien, who was a part of the Sunderland side that lost twice underneath the arch two years ago, first on penalties against Portsmouth in the Trophy final and then in the play-off final against Charlton Athletic. He said: “It’s everybody’s dream to play at Wembley – it was certainly mine – and when you’ve done that a couple of times and lost, it becomes your dream to win at Wembley.

“Having had two defeats at Wembley two years ago, I was desperate to get back there and put right some wrongs and I think a lot of the other lads were as well.

“When the final whistle went you could see how much it meant to so many people, especially those who played in the two Wembley finals in 2019, but to everybody.

“It was a very enjoyable weekend.” When Aiden McGeady’s glorious throughball put Gooch in on goal, a wide-angle camera shot captured O’Nien sinking to his knees and clasping his hands together as if willing him to score, and his reaction went viral on social media.

Asked what was going through his mind, O’Nien grinned and said: “Please go in! “I think a lot of people were probably the same in their living rooms.

“I don’t know why I did it. I just saw Lynden go through and thought, ‘Please, come on.’

“I thought that if we could get in front, we could close out the game and stop them from scoring.

“Lee Burge has been phenomenal behind us and I knew as soon as we scored that we were going to win, so when it hit the back of the net it was just an incredible moment.”