BIG DAY FOR EAGLES AS BOTH MEN AND WOMEN IN PLAY OFF FINALS Gooch: Cats must seize second chance
SUNDERLAND’S players must seize their ‘second chance’ at promotion after falling short in the race for an automatic spot, says Lynden Gooch.
The Black Cats looked on course for a top two finish and automatic promotion at the beginning of April, but a run of just one win in nine games at the end of the season meant they ended up fourth in the table and must now take their chances in the play-offs.
They face Lincoln City in the semi-final, with the first leg to be played at Sincil Bank on Wednesday and the return at the Stadium of Light next Saturday, with the winners of that tie set to face either Blackpool or Oxford in the final at Wembley at the end of the month.
“It’s been up and down,” Gooch said of the season, in an interview with safc.com.
“We put ourselves in a really good position after finding ourselves behind the pack, but then we fell short at the end.
“But, as the manager has said to all of us, we have a second chance to put it right.”
Sunderland were in the play-offs two seasons ago, seeing off Portsmouth in the semi-final before losing to Charlton in the final, and the core of that team – including the long-serving Gooch – is still at the club.
Gooch said: “It [the semifinal against Lincoln] is going to be a massive occasion. We were in this situation two years ago with Portsmouth, so hopefully we can get to the final again.
“A lot of us are still here,
and we went to Wembley this year and won [in the EFL Trophy] as well which will put us in good stead but we can’t think about the final, we need to get the semi-final done first.
“We have to put on a good performance away, and then again at home in the second leg.”
After three seasons in League One, the pressure is on Sunderland to escape the third tier and make it back into the Championship.
“There’s always going to be pressure playing for Sunderland no matter what division you are in, I’ve said that many times,” said Gooch.
“It’s going to be a great experience in the second leg for some of the lads who haven’t played in front of our fans before.
“There’s pressure no matter what team you play for, but maybe at Sunderland it’s just on a bigger scale.
“The pressure at this football club is all I know, though, so hopefully I can use that and try to help the others as well.”
Wednesday’s game will be the fourth time Sunderland have met the Imps this season, having already played home and away in the league and also at the semi-final stage of the EFL Trophy back in February.
Sunderland won 4-0 at Sincil Bank in December, and the sides drew 1-1 in the return on Wearside.
The trophy game at the Stadium of Light also ended 1-1, with the Black Cats triumphing on penalties.
Gooch said: “They were tough games. I didn’t play in the first game, I think I was injured.
“But in the two games at home Lincoln were really well organised and hard to break down, and both sides were evenly matched.
“We went through on penalties in the trophy game. Hopefully we can perform well and get the job done again.”
The easing of Covid restrictions next week means a limited number of home fans will be allowed to attend both legs of the semi-final.
Gooch said of the return of fans to the Stadium of Light: “I can’t wait.
“The supporters have been waiting for a long time and I’m sure they are itching to get back to the Stadium of Light.
“Hopefully we home happy.”
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