The Chronicle

No room for error

- By JAMES HUNTER Sunderland writer james.hunter@reachplc.com @JHunterChr­on

WHETHER it takes a slap on the back or a kick up the backside, somehow Lee Johnson has to find a way to stop Sunderland choking in the promotion run-in.

Because back-to-back defeats against play-off contenders Charlton at the weekend and relegation candidates Wigan onTuesday have left the Black Cats’ automatic promotion hopes hanging by a thread.

Prior to the game against Charlton, Sunderland were well-placed – favourites, even, in some people’s eyes – to chase down top two Hull and Peterborou­gh in what increasing­ly looked like a three-horse race for the promotion places.

Four days and two defeats later, the Wearsiders are rank outsiders in that race.

Sunderland now not only have no margin for error but are reliant on the top two dropping points.

Hull are eight points ahead of Sunderland and even if the Black Cats win their game against the leaders next week, and also their game in hand on the Tigers, they will still need them to slip up at in at least one more game.

Peterborou­gh are five points ahead of Sunderland and there is no game in hand or remaining head-to-head meeting in which to narrow the gap – they effectivel­y need Posh to lose two of their final six games in order to catch them.

Sunderland are not yet out of the running but as they limp towards the line they can only pray one of their rivals blows up in the finishing straight.

How has it come to this? Quite simply, Sunderland’s defence – which has been rock-solid virtually all season – has sprung a leak.

Charlton scored from two setpieces on Saturday and Sunderland showed they had learned nothing as Wigan did exactly the same at the DW Stadium.

Just a few short weeks ago, Sunderland’s defence was receiving plaudits for keeping six clean sheets in seven games in all competitio­ns with just one goal conceded - and in several of those games they managed to prevent their opponents even registerin­g a shot on target. The Wearsiders have since conceded in each of their last four games and have taken just four points from a possible 12. Against Wigan they dominated the first half-hour and deservedly led through a Charlie Wyke goal which ended his five-game drought.

Yet they were undone by a routine corner kick just before half-time as Will Keane equalised and the same frailty came back to haunt them as Callum Lang scored the winner on the hour from another corner routine.

An injury to Conor McLaughlin in the warm-up meant Bailey

Wright was thrown in at the deep end, promoted from the bench to make his comeback after two months out through injury.

The Aussie’s inclusion was not the problem - it was the fact for both goals men were left unmarked at the far post, allowing them to set up Keane and Lang.

Just as he had against Charlton on Saturday, Johnson made a quadruple substituti­on in the second half and it proved counter-productive.

At the weekend, Charlton scored what turned out to be the decisive goal in the midst of that flurry of substituti­ons. Against Wigan, the changes came just after Lang’s goal and showed a willingnes­s on Johnson’s part to tear up his plans in an attempt to get back into the game.

However, changing almost half the outfield personnel in one fell swoop only left the side looking disjointed.

Johnson said afterwards he felt ‘let down’ by this performanc­e and thousands of Sunderland fans will agree with him.

If his side drops points at Blackpool at the weekend, it will be time to start preparing for the play-offs.

Sunderland now not only have no margin for error but are reliant on the top two dropping points James Hunter

 ??  ?? Sunderland’s loss at Wigan was a major dent in their hopes for automatic promotion
Sunderland’s loss at Wigan was a major dent in their hopes for automatic promotion

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