Victory shows promotion push firmly back on track
Bythefinalwhistleadrenaline was surging, pulses racing. A little too much? Maybe. It was a game that should have been killed off by Sunderland long before, but a raft of promising chances yielded only two goals and as we have seen so many times before, that is not a tally that equates to a comfortable afternoon.
All it took was one lapse at a set piece, a decent delivery not dealt with, and we were set up for a nervy conclusion.
Head coach Lee Johnson often says this to his players. Even in good performances, a one-goal deficit leaves you vulnerable to a stunning strike from nowhere, or the whim of inconsistent officiating.
Johnson noted, though, that when anxiety *should* have set in around the Stadium of Light it didn’t, really.
The “brilliant” home support remained vociferous, players and fans feeding off each other as numerous chances were created to secure the points once and for all.
Nathan Broadhead drew a fine save from Mike Cooper; Leon Dajaku fired an ambitious effort just wide of the far post.
Some neat play under pressure led to a fine break down the right, the otherwise superb Carl Winchester just not quite able to get the cross away.
Perhaps it should have all been a little bit more straightforward, but there was something in this atmosphere, both in terms of Sunderland's short-term prospects and their long-term project.
The aim here is to create an effective counter-pressing side, one that can unlock the passion of the home support by playing with quality, but at a high tempo.
This is not always going to be possible, poor form and injuries taking their toll inevitably taking their toll at various
stages through the season. Even now, it should be said, pitch challenges are clearly hampering the home side at times as they look to zip the ball around.
This first half-hour, though, gave you a glimpse of something everyone on Wearside would get behind, perhaps the most complete performance since that frenzied first-half performance against Lincoln City in the play-off semi final.
The opening goal came from a clever corner routine that caught Plymouth offguard, but by that point Sunderland were already creating all of the chances.
Getting Broadhead into the side on a regular basis
has improved Sunderland’s energy in the final third. That, in turn, is beginning to make them a more dangerous and aggressive pressing side.
They forced Plymouth into errors and from there the transition play was excellent.
Through the opening stages Alex Pritchard was superb, constantly springing players around him free with early and precise passes.
It was to Leon Dajaku's credit, too, that Schumacher was forced into reshuffling his back line.
Injury had forced him to initially start Ryan Broom as the left wing-back (a midfielder, generally) and it was a decision he initially felt comfortable with, given the way
Lynden Gooch had caused Morecambe so many issues down the other flank on Tuesday.
But so regular and dangerous were the German's drives into the channel that eventually he felt obliged to switch it, bringing his stronger defender over.
The only regret through that early period was that Sunderland did not make more of their regular finalthird entries.
It was not always the case that Sunderland were in control, of course.
An injury to Lynden Gooch at half-time forced a reshuffle and, rather than bring one of his defenders on from the bench, Johnson opted to push
Winchester into the backline.
The Northern Irishman was terrific in the latter stages, but initially there was no doubt Sunderland suffered and Plymouth were buoyed.
On balance, though, it was three points fully deserved.
It took Johnson's side back to the two points-per-game mark as we approach the halfway stage, and that feels like a fair reflection of the way not just results, but performances have been steadily rebuilt over the past fortnight.
It has not always felt like an upward curve, but this was as close to those exciting earlyseason performances that Sunderland have delivered in a while.
Johnson and his group now have a rare midweek to recover ahead of a busy festive schedule.
The hope is one or two players will be able to return from injury – key if Gooch’s groin injury proves to be more serious – and given the recent issues it will feel like a positive result to get to the opening of the January window very much in touch with the top two.
Then, it will be over to the board to deliver the improvements needed to turn this promising side into a promotion-winning one.
For now, though, there is just a little time to bask in the glow of an entertaining afternoon at the Stadium of Light.