The sight of Ross Stewart completing his first full 90 minutes since August must have topped many Sunderland fans' Christmas wishlists. But his strikepartner Ellis Simms needed only a ten-minute cameo against Blackburn Rovers to deliver the gift that stole the show at the Stadium of Light.
After three-and-a-half months on the sidelines with a thigh injury, top scorer Stewart had given a glimpse of what the Black Cats had missed when he made his long-awaited comeback as a substitute and scored at Hull City last weekend. And he was included from the start against Rovers, with Simms dropping to the bench to make way.
Stewart was in the thick of the action, scoring an unlucky own-goal inside the opening 20 minutes before making amends almost immediately by winning and converting a penalty at the other end of the pitch after he had been fouled by John Buckley. But when Tony Mowbray gambled late in the game by throwing on Simms to partner Stewart and switching shape to 3-5-2, it was the on-loan Everton man who wrote the headlines as he kept his head to prod home the winning goal in injury-time.
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'Lift-off,' was the way Simms described his goal after the game in a social media post, and when the ball rolled into the bottom corner the explosion of noise from the crowd of just short of 44,000 was certainly enough to raise the roof. Blackburn had arrived on Wearside sitting third in the table and pushing for promotion, but they looked limp on the day and rarely threatened Anthony Patterson's goal.
They have yet to draw a league game all season but, while the scores were locked at 1-1, their boss Jon Dahl Tomasson would have gladly seen that wait come to an end and taken his point and ran - taking off Bradley Dack and Sam Gallagher with 15 minutes remaining was proof of that. As it was, Simms had other ideas and sent Rovers back to Lancashire on the back of their fourth defeat in six league games, while for Sunderland victory meant they ended the day eighth in the table, just a point behind fifth-placed Norwich City.
As ever, the goalscorers will get the lion's share of the glory but this win owed just as much to the performances of players such as Dan Ballard, Luke O'Nien, Dan Neil, and Amad. Amad's workrate out of possession and clever feet when in possession meant Blackburn could never relax, while Neil's display alongside ex-Rovers man Corry Evans in midfield was a return to form.
O'Nien continues to impress in central defence, and alongside him Ballard - who was making his first start in four months - was outstanding, not only in terms of his defensive duties but also popping up with the assist for Simms at the death. Mowbray also deserves credit for his bold move late in the game against his former club.
While Tomasson was prepared to settle for the draw, Mowbray's instinct was to go for the win and his decision to send on Simms and play two up front in the latter stages paid off handsomely. Of course, victory came at a price.
Dennis Cirkin limped off with a knee problem and Lynden Gooch came off with a hamstring injury, and they join fellow defenders Danny Batth (calf) and Aji Alese (foot) in the treatment room, meaning Mowbray will have to piece together a new look back line for Thursday night's trip to next-to-bottom Wigan Athletic, which is closely followed by a visit to third-bottom Blackpool on Sunday. But that is a problem for another day.
For now, Sunderland fans are focusing on the positives.
READ NEXT:
- Tony Mowbray on Sunderland's 'deserved' win against Blackburn as injury problems mount
- Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson on the hurt of conceding late to lose at Sunderland
- Sunderland 2-1 Blackburn Rovers player ratings as Stewart, Amad and Ballard star
- Ellis Simms scores dramatic late winner as Sunderland come from behind against Blackburn Rovers
- Sunderland prepared to listen to loan offers for fringe players next month, says Tony Mowbray
