Burton Albion 0-2 Sunderland
Sunderland returned to winning ways at the Pirelli Stadium as Chris Coleman guided the Black Cats to victory in his second game in charge.
They were made to work for it as a plucky Burton Albion defended manfully, but goals from James Vauaghan and George Honeyman in the final ten minutes sealed a deserved three points.
Recap all the action below…
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS
The red flag was flying high ahead of kick-off at the Pirelli Stadium, with an expectant roar echoing around Staffordshire as the 1,500-strong red and white army strapped themselves in and the first whistle sounded. But it was Burton who threatened first. A searching run from Will Miller created space for Sean Scannell inside the box, but a split-second hesitation opened the door for Bryan Oviedo and the full-back ended the attack.
MOVING THROUGH THE GEARS
Lucas Akins then fired wide as the home side’s bright start continued, with Chris Coleman’s men allowed little time on the ball as the Brewers’ high-pressing intensity came out on top. Coleman made two changes ahead of the game as Lee Cattermole and Paddy McNair returned to the side, and the latter imposed himself on the game early as the Lads began to find a foothold. And as their time on the ball increased, the Black Cats started to purr, with Oviedo seeing a cross hacked off the line before Lewis Grabban was denied by Stephen Bywater.
FAST LANE
While McNair’s composure impressed, it was Callum McManaman who led the charge as the winger’s hunger, pace and trickery posed questions time after time on the right flank, with his persistence almost paying off on 25 minutes as Burton scrambled it clear following a mazy run. Aiden McGeady’s attempts to add another belter to the collection almost paid off soon after as the ball whistled wide from range, with McNair then forcing Bywater into action again following fine work from McManaman as the Black Cats’ wingers continued to scorch the touchlines.
BREAKNECK SPEED
Burton ended the opening period with a flurry of chances as Joe Sbarra volleyed over before Marvin Sordell’s dipping effort crashed just wide, but Sunderland were revved up after the interval and – attacking the red and white army – they piled on the pressure. McManaman felt he should have won a penalty within two minutes of the restart, but despite the ball seemingly striking an arm the referee remained unmoved as Adam Matthews’ follow-up drifted wide. And the game continued at a frenetic pace as the Brewers responded and multiple efforts sailed off target.
RACE TO THE FINISH LINE
Torrential rain – and eventually snow – followed but it did little to dampen the spirits of the sold-out away end as the Black Cats cranked up the pressure and sought about finding a winner with 30 minutes remaining. They almost found one when Grabban fired at goal from close range but the ball cannoned off Bywater, who knew nothing about it, and the Brewers survived by the skin of their teeth. And they continued to cling on as wave after wave of attack smashed against a resilient backline as the Lads poured forward.
TOP GEAR
Burton continued to struggled as they were overpowered and overworked in every department, but if they could just hang on another 10 minutes, the performances wouldn’t haven’t mattered one bit. Thankfully, they didn’t. And with 84 minutes played that all-important moment arrived as Oviedo’s corner whistled across the face of goal before behind headed in by a stooping Vaughan. Tremendous scenes followed as the Lads celebrated in front of the ecstatic away end and they were replicated three minutes later, as substitute Joel Asoro oozed class to beat his man and pick out Honeyman who made no mistake from close range. Winning ways returned.
HA’WAY THE LADS!!
Burton Albion: Bywater, Turner, Muphy, Scannell (Allen 65), Akins, Flanagan, Naylor, Sordell, Miller (Mason 58), Palmer, Sbarra (McFadzean 71).
Substitutes: Ripley, Warnock, Allen, Lund, Varney.
Sunderland: Ruiter, Matthews, O’Shea, Browning, Oviedo, Cattermole, McNair (Gibson 70), Honeyman, McManaman (Asoro 80), McGeady (Vaughan 75), Grabban.
Substitutes: Steele, Love, Galloway, Gooch.