ACCRINGTON STANLEY – 1

Clark 5’

SUNDERLAND – 3

Gooch 7’ McGeady 26’ McNulty 36’

ACCRINGTON Stanley's three game unbeaten run came to an end as Sunderland won 3-1 at the Wham Stadium.

John Coleman's side took the lead inside the first five minutes in what was an all-action first period through Jordan Clark.

It took a matter of 90 seconds for Lynden Gooch to level things before Aiden McGeady and Marc McNulty put the game beyond Stanley.

Stanley took the lead after the five minutes as Clark scored his second goal in as many games.

Joe Pritchard lofted one over the top which met Clark in the box and his first touch took it around Jon McLaughlin for him to slot into an empty goal.

The lead only last 90 seconds as Lyndon Gooch replied for the Black Cats with a brilliant, acrobatic effort past Dimitar Evtimov.

The game was in the balance after the scores were levelled with both sides pushing forward looking for an opportunity for another goal.

Stanley fans must be sick of the sight of McGeady as he gave Sunderland the lead with a left-footed strike into the top corner.

The former Preston North End man scored in Sunderland’s Carabao Cup win at the Wham Stadium too.

Colby Bishop would’ve felt extremely unfortunate as his deflected effort from the outside of the box looked to be nestling in the top corner, but it strikes the underside of the bar and stays out.

Just a minute after Stanley could’ve been level, Sunderland increased their lead through McNulty.

Chris Maguire ran forward with the ball and beat the sliding Mark Hughes in the box, he squared to McNulty who just had to pass into an empty goal.

Luke O’Nien headed against the post and Callum Johnson did well to put the ball behind.

As Stanley looked for a goal back in the early stages of the second half, Clark came close to a second, but his shot inside the box struck team mate Dion Charles.

Stanley had massive penalty appeal as substitute Aji Alese was pulled back, but the referee gave nothing – looked to be a certain penalty.

Charles had a chance with 10 minutes to go as his flicked effort from a couple of yards out just hit McLaughlin and stayed out.

Stanley XI: Evtimov, Johnson, Sykes, Hughes (62’ Diallo), Opoku, Clark, Sherif (62’ Alese), Finley, Pritchard (88' Carvalho), Bishop, Charles

Unused subs: Bursik, Edwards, Barclay, Simpson

Sunderland XI: McLaughlin, Willis, Ozturk, Maguire (77’ Grigg), McNulty (82’ Embleton), Gooch, O'Nien, Dobson, McGeady, Leadbitter (75’ McGeouch), Hume

Unused subs: Burge, McLaughlin, Power, Flanagan