Simon Grayson heaped praise on James Vaughan following his first goal for Sunderland on Saturday.
Vaughan led the line for the Black Cats in the absence of Lewis Grabban, and quickly set about producing a bullish display as he tussled with Hull City defender Michael Hector.
And with 16 minutes played the 29-year-old was in the right place at the right time to head home Callum McManaman’s perfectly weighted cross towards the back post.
The Tigers fought their way back in the second 45 and earned a point, when David Meyler’s deflected effort finding a way past Robbin Ruiter but speaking to safc.com, Grayson paid tribute to his goalscoring striker.
“He deserves it on the back of being in bed all Thursday night and Friday with sickness and diarrhoea,” he said.
“It was a position we didn’t need somebody to be ill because we haven’t got the strength in depth there at this moment in time but he did ever so well.
“He worked hard and we did say somewhere down the line he will get his goal and hopefully this will trigger a few now.
“Full credit to him for getting out there, playing and putting on a performance like he did,” he continued.
“You look at Jonny Williams and Callum (McManaman) they were probably running out of steam in the last 20-30 minutes because they haven’t played a lot of football in this period of time.
“They will get the benefit from it and we will benefit from it as well.”
