Cats full of spirit in huge triumph against the odds
AT the end of a week in which Sunderland exited the FA Cup in disappointing fashion, the Black Cats have edged closer to the real prize.
With League One pacesetters Portsmouth stumbling twice in a matter of days, Sunderland’s win over Bristol Rovers has set the scene nicely for Saturday’s pre-Christmas meeting on the south coast.
They could easily have found themselves heading to Fratton Park with a points gap between the sides which ran into double figures.
However, Pompey’s home defeat at the hands of Charlton Athletic, followed by a draw at Barnsley and Sunderland’s victory over Rovers, means that gap now stands at five points.
The Black Cats also have two games in hand of Portsmouth and second-placed Luton Town, who are only a point ahead of the Wearsiders.
Portsmouth will be the Christmas No 1 whatever happens this weekend but, depending how results go, it could be all change on Boxing Day.
To get to within striking distance at this point, Jack Ross’ Sunderland deserve immense credit.
They have lost just one of 20 league games this season and that solitary defeat came three months ago.
Their FA Cup defeat against Walsall ended their run of 16 undefeated games in all competitions but their unbeaten league run endures and now stretches to 12 games.
They are the only side in all four divisions to have scored in every league game this season.
It has not always been pretty very rarely, in fact - but Sunderland have proved time and again they can win in difficult circumstances.
Saturday’s game was a case in point as they had to deal with a number of setbacks.
Firstly, they were without injured centre-back Tom Flanagan, who had started every one of the 11 unbeaten games prior to this one.
They then lost left-back Reece James to an ankle injury suffered in the warm-up.
Goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin went off with a back injury late in the second half.
The conditions were also a leveller, freezing sleet hammering down at the Stadium of Light.
On top of that, they conceded an early goal when Alex Rodman took advantage of what could charitably be called hesitant defending.
However, they turned things round, Adam Matthews becoming the first to score in front of the newly-christened Roker End just before half-time and Josh Maja scoring a well-taken winner five minutes after the break.
The Black Cats hit the woodwork three times and Rovers once right at the death when they could easily have snatched a point.
However, teams which gain promotion win on days like these while those who slip up risk falling short.