Hero O’nien scoring very highly with his manager

LUKE O’nien ranks up there with the best finishers at the club, says Sunderland manager Jack Ross.

The 24-year-old midfielder has been operating in the right-back role for the Black Cats in recent weeks.

However, defensive duties have done nothing to curtail his attacking instincts, O’nien scoring his fifth goal of the season to set his side on their way to a 2-0 win at Bristol Rovers.

O’nien, who earned Sunderland two penalty kicks in their last game against Gillingham, was in the penalty area again to apply the finishing touch following a corner in the first half at the Memorial Ground.

Ross said: “Luke will always score goals from whatever position he is in on the park, he just has that knack.

“He is a very, very, good finisher and he is up there with the best finishers at the club.

“He also has this hunger to score goals.”

Aiden Mcgeady scored Sunderland’s second goal direct from a free-kick in the second period as Sunderland earned their first back-to-back wins since mid-december and cut the gap between themselves and the automatic promotion places to just two points - while retaining their game in hand over secondplaced Barnsley.

The wins this week against Gillingham and now Rovers have eased the nerves which had built up on Wearside following a spate of draws which had seen the Black Cats slip off the promotion pace.

Ross said: “There was no change in the belief in the changing room. People might not believe that but I genuinely did not sense any change.

“It was my job to just retain that level-headedness.

“It is like today - they are not in the dressing room jumping up and down because they have won, they are pleased, they are satisfied, it is another game knocked off - and if we keep banging out results like today we will give ourselves a really good chance.”