Tony Mowbray insists Sunderland deserved their comfortable 2-0 win against Middlesbrough - regardless of the red card which gave them a helping hand. Second-half goals from Ross Stewart and Amad were enough to see off the Teessiders at the Stadium of Light, and see the Black Cats climb to ninth in the Championship table and to within a point of the play-off spots.
Boro were reduced to ten men soon after half-time when Dael Fry was sent off for a professional foul on Stewart, and conceded a penalty in the process. Stewart's spot-kick was saved but he tucked home the rebound, before Amad made sure of the points ten minutes from time.
But in truth Sunderland should have had the game won before the interval when it was still 11-vs-11, creating at least four clear-cut opportunities that they just could not finish. "Amad had an opportunity where he was one-on-one with the keeper where he read the goalie's pass - you were just waiting for the net to bulge on that one," said Black Cats head coach Mowbray, who began his playing career and later managed Boro.
