Hero Ross puts Neil’s men back on road to big time STEW HAVE TO
ALEX NEIL and Sunderland were in Wembley heaven after breaking the club’s play-off curse to secure a place back in the Championship.
Scottish hot-shot Ross Stewart’s 26th goal of the season, allied to Elliot Embleton’s first-half rocket, ended three decades of Black Cat misery in these end-of-season promotion scraps.
A case of fourth time lucky in a final – and seventh time overall – the Mackem masses were finally crying tears of joy rather than heartache (left).
But Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe were left reeling after failing to book an immediate return to English football’s second tier.
Sunderland boss Neil, appointed in January, revealed his delight at delivering some success for long-suffering fans.
He beamed: “People love a fallen giant and it was such a challenge coming here.
“You can only achieve and do this with really good players and the backing of the supporters.
“I’m so satisfied to have done so much for so many people. It’s been a tough few years at the club for everybody.
“That’s the most pleasing thing because, as a manager, you worry about letting people down. I just wanted to give them what they desired.”
As for his planned celebrations, Neil added: “I’m going to have a drink for the next two days.” His Wycombe counterpart Ainsworth said: “I’m gutted but we were beaten by the better side.
“Their quality told. I’m so proud. We keep producing, keep upsetting the odds. We’ll come back more resilient.”
The Black Cats were 15 games unbeaten heading to the national stadium, with just one loss in 18 under Neil.
And the scenes in Trafalgar Square on Friday night, with 60,000 of their supporters at the iconic landmark, suggested this was their time to end four years in the League One wilderness.
By contrast, Wycombe were bidding to book only their second season ever in the Championship, having made it there via the play-off route two years ago. In front of a noisy 75,000 crowd, favourites
Sunderland made a lightning start as they went for the jugular.
Alex Prtichard almost sent the red end into orbit with a free-kick after three minutes that curved inches wide. Then Stewart was just a whisker away.
But the opener did arrive in the 12th minute from local-lad Embleton’s longdistance screamer, following a surging run. The swerve and swing on the shot was sufficient to bamboozle the division’s joint Golden Glove winner, David Stockdale, as it flew past him.
No-hair Neil punched the air in delight, while long-haired, all-dressed-in-black Ainsworth, with snakeskin boots too, was wondering how his usually tight defence had cracked so easily.
It made for a better game, though, with Wycombe forced to press forward. In doing so they were open to the counter, and Stockdale denied Roberts and
Stewart before the interval. Wanderers began the second period on top as Sunderland seemed unsure whether to go for a killer second.
That nearly came on 50 minutes when prolific Stewart towered above all to head agonisingly past the post.
Ainsworth had seen enough. On came Lewis Wing to give the midfield more presence. Barely 60 seconds later, the Chairboys should have levelled.
Maybe Sam Vokes was surprised that Anthony Stewart’s pass bounced over everyone because, when it fell at his feet in the box, he miscontrolled and Sunderland keeper Anthony Patterson smothered.
Ainsworth threw on retiring 40-yearold favourite Adebayo Akinfenwa. But before the big man could have an impact, Stewart struck gold as he spun and fired home with 11 minutes left. Game, set... and back to the Championship.