Sunderland hold nerve to down Dons and earn win
Football really is back. And so are Sunderland.
In front of a raucous travelling support, the Black Cats came through a frenetic, nerve-shredding encounter to seal their second win of the campaign at MK Dons.
It was a game that the hosts will feel they ought to have got something out of, given their raft of second-half chances and generally good play.
And yet it was also one the Black Cats should never have let them into, with a defensive error and a penalty miss in their eventual 2-1 win.
It was Ross Stewart again on the scoresheet, with a fine finish from Elliot Embleton securing the points.
Though MK Dons had endured a difficult start to the campaign as manager Russell Martin left for Swansea City, a strong end to the last season and an impressive summer window meant this was always going to be a challenging opening away day for the Black Cats, albeit perhaps not so much in the traditional League One manner, MK firm in their commitment to play out from the back.
Sunderland did start brightly, forging the first chance amid a flurry of early corners. A short one was pulled to the edge of the area, where Lynden Gooch cut inside and strung Andrew Fisher’s palms with a firm effort.
The Black Cats looked in the groove, but the home side slowly began to assert a reasonable level of control.
With three centre-backs comfortable on the ball, they regularly created overlaps on the flanks that pulled the Cats’ defence out of position.
Tom Flanagan had to be alert to cut out a low cross from the left and Tottenham loanee Troy Parrott perhaps should have done better from the corner that followed, unable to make a strong connection as he met the dipping cross at the back post.
Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson’s preparations had been hit by an illness to Luke O’Nien, meaning Dennis Cirkin was handed a full debut ahead of schedule.
He coped well enough through the opening exchanges, although the visitors were fortunate just before the half-hour mark when MK Dons worked an opening on the left. Daniel Harvie crossed for Tennai Watson, who made a good late run into the box. He met the ball on the half volley, but his effort was wild and sliced well clear of Lee Burge in the Sunderland goal.
The Black Cats were not keeping possession well enough, but did forge half an
opening when a good move saw Gooch cross for Stewart, whose diving header was comfortably palmed clear of danger by Fisher.
An entertaining game was then spun on its head within five minutes of the interval.
MK Dons looked certain to score when Scott Twine was sprung clear by a wonderful chipped pass from Matt O’Riley. Twine beat Burge to the ball as he raced off his line, but could only turn his volley wide of the post.
The Black Cats sprung up the other end, Aiden McGeady firied in a low cross, Fisher could only fumble the ball into Stewart’s path and he converted from a matter of yards.
MK Dons looked to have recovered well in the opening stages of the second half, but were caught out when Johnson’s side doubled their advantage.
Gooch’s cross from the right flank was blocked, but Dan Neil was alert to recycle possession. His first attempt at a pass was blocked, but his second cut the home defence open. They paused to wait for an offside flag that never came and Embleton’s composure was superb, waiting for Fisher to go to ground before dinking his effort over him and into the net.
It was a major advantage for the visitors, but within minutes they let their opposition back into the game.
The danger looked to have passed when Burge comfortably saved a back-post header, but his throw out had too much on it for Neil.
Ethan Robson pounced on the loose ball and quickly fed Parrott, whose finish into the top corner was excellent.
Sunderland were on the ropes, Burge doing well to deny Mo Eisa as he found space in the box. The hosts went even closer when Parrott was again sprung into space, Burge this time scrambling back to palm the attempted lob over the bar.
The Black Cats were penned in on the edge of their own area, unable to build any spell of possession away from their own goal.
They should nevertheless have settled the contest with just more than 10 minutes to play, substitute Alex Pritchard firing into the side netting after an excellent flick-on from Stewart.
The Scot looked to have secured the points for his side with another excellent piece of forward play, tripped after making an arcing run to meet Neil’s chipped pass. The referee pointed to the spot, but Fisher guessed correctly and denied Gooch low to his left.
Sunderland actually had the better of the late chances, Stewart firing just wide before seven minutes of added time passed with plenty of tension, but little meaningful action.