Sunderland booked their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening as they saw off Sheffield United thanks to a Max Power screamer.
A resolute defensive performance was capped off with the teams first clean sheet of the season and a deserved victory.
It was Power’s goal that settled it as he fired a stunning effort from 25 yards into the top right corner.
Sunderland’s progression also saw the Lads beat two Premier League sides before October for the first time since 2009.
The first chance of the game fell to the home side in the fourth minute as Callum Robinson cut in from the left wing and fired a strong shot towards Lee Burge, but he managed to somehow claw it away from the bottom right corner.
Sheffield United nearly took the lead three minutes later after a defensive mishap. Tom Flanagan attempted a cross field pass but the ball was intercepted by Robinson, but his progress was stopped by Burge who did splendidly in stifling what looked like a sure goal.
Two minutes later and it was Sunderland who broke the deadlock through Power.
Chris Maguire looked to have overhit his corner, but it was a perfectly executed move that saw Luke O’Nien tee up Power. The former Wigan midfielder let rip from 25 yards and found the top corner to send the 1,500 Sunderland fans into raptures.
It was Sunderland who took the ascendancy of the game after the goal and they nearly doubled their lead on 14 minutes through Elliot Embleton who fired a shot from the left wing that was well saved by Simon Moore.
The Lads took control of the game and did see plenty of the ball throughout the rest of the half but neither side were able to conjure up another meaningful effort before half time.
Sunderland came out the traps to start the second half and nearly added their second goal through O’Nien on 53 minutes.
Substitute Denver Hume played a great ball into the area from the left touchline and his ball was met by O’Nien who took a touch and fired an effort into the side netting.
O’Nien came close again on 66 minutes as Maguire got the ball to him inside the United area. He chipped the ball up and struck a perfectly timed bicycle kick just past Moore’s left post.
It took until the 82nd minute for the home side to get their first real chance of the second half and it fell to summer signing Oli McBurnie. He somehow managed to head a Ravel Morrison cross back across goal but Dylan McGeouch managed to intercept and clear.
United should have been level on 88 minutes as Mo Besic played substitute Leon Clarke in on goal. Clarke just had Burge to beat, but he dragged his shot wide of the left post.
Chris Wilder’s men pushed for an equaliser late on but were denied any late opportunities as the Lads held on for a much-deserved victory.
Sheffield United: Moore, Freeman, Robinson (Clarke 57), Morrison, Jagielka ©, Freeman, Stearman, Bryan (Fleck 70), Mousset (McBurnie 57) Osborn, Besic
Subs: Stevens, Basham, Norwood, Verrips,
Sunderland: Burge, McLaughlin, Lynch, Power, Maguire (Dobson 90), McGeouch, Wyke, Flanagan ©, O’Nien, Embleton (Hume 45), De Bock
Subs: Grigg, Leadbitter, Taylor, Connelly, Patterson
Attendance: 11,675
