Simon lashes out at Black Cats

the year. We’d been too soft. We went old school and riled them.”

Former Sunderland boss Roy Keane was in the stands watching and will have been impressed by Irish winger Callum O’Dowda.

“He was excellent in his skill and work rate,” said Johnson.

But Ireland No.2 Keane must also despair at what has become of Sunderland – a club he sparked to promotion after taking charge in the bottom three of the Championship.

Bobby Reid rose unmarked two yards out to head the opener.

But Sunderland clawed their way back on the stroke of half-time through Lewis Grabban’s poaching instincts. The striker bundled home after a scramble.

It was deserved. Sunderland had seemed brighter than usual in the first half.

However they still could not rise above the average, with any threat vanishing in a pathetic performance after the break.

Jason Steele temporarily stopped ironic cheers every time he touched the ball with a brilliant save from O’Dowda.

Then Aden Flint missed a free strike at goal after Reid played him in.

With Sunderland creaking, sub Djuric rose at the back post to plant home a header from a cracking O’Dowda cross.

After that Sunderland did not cause the Robins anywhere near as many problems as they needed to and the visitors stayed solid to secure the three points.