PREMIER PEDIGREE TELLS AS SUNDERLAND BOUNCE BACK

SUNDERLAND are up and running — even if it is only in League One. Three first-half goals from Max Power, Josh Maja and Chris Maguire extended the unbeaten start to the league season under new manager Jack Ross. Bryan Oviedo and Lee Cattermole have Premier League pedigree and proved it as they ran rings round Scunthorpe. Oviedo was the provider with a cross for Power to head the first then, almost immediately, the Costa Rican collected the ball from Cattermole and fed Maja, who made it three goals in as many League games. The third was a cheeky backheel from Maguire after good work by Lynden Gooch and George Honeyman. There were further chances, with Cattermole going close and Maja failing to get on target with a glorious chance following a swift counter-attack. Two successive relegation campaigns have seen Sunderland plumb new depths but the fans are still right behind their team. Amazingly 29,876 turned up to the Stadium of Light for what was a stroll in the park. Ross said: ‘The manner of the performance was good. The first half was reflective of what we’ve tried to do. There are still things we can improve on and the players know that.’ Scunthorpe manager Nick Daws was convinced his side should have had a penalty before the first goal when George Thomas went down under a challenge from Jack Baldwin. ‘The referee tells me he didn’t have a decent angle and couldn’t really see it. He said he would apologise to me afterwards if he made a mistake so I am expecting an apology. ‘If we had gone 1-0 up we would have quietened the crowd down and been able to grow into the game with a bit more confidence and belief.’