Pulis adds to suffering at Sunderland

WHEN Martin Braithwaite put Boro 2-0 up with three minutes left to play in the first half, many of the 4,476 Sunderland fans headed for the exits.

Some will have sought solace at the concourse bars, others may have been tempted to call it a day. You could not blame them.

Those loyal followers had already seen Rudy Gestede put Tony Pulis’s impressive hosts in front. The second goal was enough to tip them over the edge.

A second-half revival of sorts provided some warmth at a chilly Riverside but this was another frustrating afternoon for Chris Coleman, who will now switch his attention to what is a key transfer window as he attempts to keep the freefallers in the Championship.

‘We’re in a dogfight and you don’t go into a dogfight with kittens,’ said the honest Welshman, who was without 11 players.

Boro made the breakthrough after 10 minutes. The rapid, impressive Adama Traore’s surging run from inside his own half took him past four men and ended with a through ball to Gestede, whose scruffy finish rolled past exMiddlesbrough keeper Jason Steele.

‘Adama has got to learn what tools he’s got and if he understands what he’s got in the bag he could be a top, top player,’ said a happy Pulis.

Later Stewart Downing’s corner brought a poor punch from Steele which deflected to Boro’s Braithwaite, who made no mistake from close range to kill the tie.

Boro’s decision to jettison Garry Monk for Pulis is looking like the right one. The manager, however, urged caution. ‘We play Fulham next week so I will have a better idea of where we are then,’ said Pulis. ‘I’ve only had one full week with them so far. I’m nearly 60 and I’m still learning.’