Stoke City 0-1 Sunderland AFC
Sunderland returned to winning ways with a hard-earned victory over Stoke City on Saturday.
Ross Stewart’s third goal in five Sky Bet Championship games opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time, as the Lads edged into the lead at the bet365 Stadium.
An end-to-end opening to the second 45 minutes led to chances for both sides, with Ellis Simms firing wide before substitute Corry Evans forced Joe Bursik into action.
The home side called upon Dwight Gayle and Tyrese Campbell to lead their searched for a leveller, but the Black Cats shut up shop to earn their second win of the campaign.
Alex Neil made one change from the side that faced Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, as Jay Matete replaced the suspended Dan Neil.
Corry Evans returned to the bench after missing the defeat in South Yorkshire, with Danny Batth fit to start at the Bet 365 Stadium.
Stoke made a bright start to proceedings in Staffordshire, as wing duo Liam Delap and Tarique Fosu both saw shots blocked in the opening five minutes.
Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart also made a lively start, bearing down on the Boothen End and pressing high against a Potters backline marshalled by former England international Phil Jagielka.
Jacob Brown led the line for Michael O’Neill’s side and he let fly with 10 minutes played, with Anthony Patterson producing a fantastic save to push a venomous half-volley behind.
The goalkeeper saved Lewis Baker’s 25-yard free-kick the stages that followed, as Luke O’Nien and Matete collected early yellow cards.
Simms struck the side-netting midway through the first period, with the Lads’ grip on the contest strengthening as the opening 45 minutes wore on.
Multiple corners were cleared by the home side and Matete fired over the top, but it was Stewart’s third goal of the campaign that shattered the deadlock.
Deep into stoppage time, the Scotland international tore through on goal after reading Clarke’s ball over the top and he blasted the ball through Bursik’s grasp.
Neil made a double change ahead of the restart, as O’Nien and Matete – both cautioned in the first half – were replaced by Bailey Wright and Evans.
Fierce play from Lynden Gooch crafted the first chance of the second period, with Stewart and Clarke both seeing resulting efforts blocked.
The sides traded blows in the stages that followed, as Jagielka and Brown failed to find the target before Simms struck wide and Evans was denied by Bursik.
Simms also had an effort blocked as Lads looked to spring the counter-attack, but the Potters remained a threat and Gayle should have equalised on 79 minutes.
However, the Black Cats refused to be breached and the final whistle sounded to spark jubilant scenes in a packed-out away end, as a second win of the campaign was confirmed.
Stoke City: Bursik, Jagielka, Baker, Brown (Gayle 60), Thompson, Wilmot, Delap (Wright-Phillips 75), Smallbone (Clucas 68), Kilkenny (Campbell 68), Fosu, Taylor.
Subs not used: Bonham, Fox, Flint.
Sunderland AFC: Patterson, O'Nien (Wright 45), Batth, Cirkin, Gooch, Matete (Evans 45), Embleton, Clarke, Pritchard, Simms, Stewart.
Subs not used: Bass, Alese, Hume, Diamond, Roberts.