BLACK CATS HAVE ROSS PURRING...
JACK ROSS felt his Sunderland team played some of their best football of the season in the first half of their win over Plymouth.
The Black Cats created a succession of chances before the interval, with Aiden McGeady and Lewis Morgan causing a host of problems from wide positions.
Lee Cattermole broke the deadlock midway through the first half, and while Sunderland were unable to add to their advantage before the interval, Ross was delighted with the quality of his side’s play.
George Honeyman scored a second with three minutes left, enabling Sunderland to close to within two points of the automatic promotion places.
Ross said: “Was that the best we’ve played? Possibly. In terms of sustained pressure, we were very good. A lot of the things today, particularly in that first half, were what we work on.
“As a manager, you don’t often get those days when it all comes together as complete as that.
“The players enjoyed it, they are in a good place.”
Plymouth boss Derek Adams thought his team were a little overawed. He said: “Collectively, we didn’t play well enough in the first half, but the second half was a lot better and we should have had a penalty for handball.
“We looked like we were scared today to be honest and the occasion got to too many of the players. We had to change the keeper (Kyle Letheren) because he couldn’t kick the ball and he has a groin problem, so he is obviously struggling and we will assess him for the next period.”
With Barnsley having beaten Southend in the lunch-time game, Sunderland kicked off knowing they could ill afford to lose any ground on the two teams above them.
Celtic loanee Morgan began brightly down the right, seeing an early shot deflected over and failing to find the target for a second time midway through the first half, and Plymouth goalkeeper Kyle Letheren was called into action for the first time when Jimmy Dunne headed Grant Leadbitter’s corner into his midriff.
Letheren was called into action again shortly after, turning McGeady’s low effort around a post, but the visiting shot-stopper could do nothing as Cattermole broke the deadlock shortly after the half-hour mark.
Morgan’s low cross was deflected into Cattermole’s path, and the midfielder fired home from the centre of the penalty area.
Plymouth failed to create anything in the first half, but the visitors thought they should have had a penalty after the interval when Tom Flanagan appeared to block Gary Sawyer’s shot with an arm.
However, the game was settled with three minutes left as Honeyman swept home McGeady’s left-wing cross.
SUNDERLAND: McLaughlin 8, O’Nien 7, Dunne 8, Flanagan 6, James 7, Leadbitter 8, Cattermole 8, Morgan 7 (67, 6), Honeyman 8, McGeady 8 (Gooch 90, 6), Grigg 7 (Wyke, 90, 6). Subs not used: Matthews, Ozturk, Ruiter, Power.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: Letheren 7 (Macey 80, 6), Smith-Brown 6, Edwards 6, Canavan 6, Sawyer 7, Songo’o 6, Fox 6, Carey 6, Threlkeld 6 (Taylor 60, 6), Lameiras 6 (Anderson 80, 6), Ladapo 6. Subs not used: Riley, Ness, Jones, Wootton.