Second strike for Lee
LEE Cattermole scored for the second home game in a row as Sunderland matched their League One promotion rivals’ stride for stride.
Cattermole netted his first ever goal at the Stadium of Light in the win against Gillingham 10 days ago and he was on target again as the Black Cats saw off Plymouth Argyle, with skipper George Honeyman putting the game to bed with a second goal late on. Sunderland should have killed off the contest before half time, but Argyle keeper Kyle Letheren – who was forced off late in the game due to injury – kept his side in the match and made sure the Wearsiders could not relax until Honeyman gave them a two-goal cushion.
With top two Luton Town and Barnsley both winning, Sunderland stay third in the table, seven points behind the Hatters and two points behind the Tykes with a game in hand over both clubs.
Jack Ross made one change to the side that started last weekend’s win at Bristol Rovers.
Lewis Morgan came into the side in place of Duncan Watmore and the on-loan Celtic winger repaid Ross’s faith with a man of the match performance.
Plymouth Argyle boss Derek Adams also made one change, in his case to the side that began last Saturday’s home win against Rochdale, with Oscar Threlkeld replacing the suspended Antoni Sarcevic.
Sunderland produced one of their best first-half performances of the season and deservedly led at halftime thanks to Cattermole’s strike – the only surprise was that they were not already out of sight.
Morgan tore Plymouth to shreds down the right flank, with visiting skipper Gary Sawyer unable to handle him. Morgan saw an early shot which deflected over for a corner, and later sent an effort just over the bar from outside the box, and that should have set alarm bells ringing for Argyle.
Jimmy Dunne headed a Grant Leadbitter corner straight at keeper Kyle Letheren, and soon afterwards the Argyle man had to get down low to his right to push away a shot from Aiden Mcgeady.
It was no surprise that Morgan was the architect of the goal when it came.
He stole the ball from a defender inside the area on the right, got to the byline and his cut-back found Catter-