Boss Lee Johnson sees room for improvement after Sunderland’s latest success

Posted Wednesday, March 03, 2021 by PA

Lee Johnson wants Sunderland to keep improving after giving the push for promotion to the Championship another boost by beating Swindon.

The Black Cats found it hard to break down a dogged Swindon, who have shown improvements of late to give their fight for survival in Sky Bet League One a lift.

But Charlie Wyke’s 24th goal of the season with 20 minutes remaining proved the difference to earn Sunderland a 1-0 win which has lifted them up to fourth.

Wyke timed his run perfectly to nod Chris Maguire’s free-kick delivery from the right down and inside Connal Trueman’s bottom right corner.

Johnson’s side are now five points behind second-placed Hull and have two games in hand on the Tigers ahead of this Saturday’s visit of Rochdale to Wearside.

And the Sunderland head coach said: “If I was to assess the game, the first half in possession we had loads of control, but didn’t work their keeper at all.

“We never really resulted in positive action around the six-yard box except for one where Charlie has shot wide from Lynden Gooch’s cross in that period. There weren’t enough numbers in the box.

“Second half we were much better, scored a goal from a set play. It was a fantastic ball from Chris Maguire and a fantastic header.

“We had three or four good chances to kill the game, if you don’t then you leave yourself at the mercy of that free-kick which nearly does us at the end. It was unbelievable.

“We are flogging these boys Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, and to win games you need a brightness. At times we need to turn that guile earlier in the game than we are.

“I am delighted. I am buzzing with three points. It’s massive. We’ve just got to keep churning out wins, and we’re in really good form.

“We were disappointed with the first-half performance against Crewe, but given that we nicked that point at the end and with the three or four wins we’ve had, if you keep going like that until the end of the season, then you’re going to be right where we want to be.”

Swindon almost equalised in the dying seconds when Scott Twine’s 35-yard free-kick rocked the crossbar. He had already had two first half free-kicks saved.

There was also an effort from Hallam Hope immediately after Wyke’s opener which had to be well saved by Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge.

Swindon boss John Sheridan does not think there would have been too many complaints had the Wearsiders been denied at the end.

Sheridan, whose side are two points above the relegation zone, said: “We have to work hard to keep the opposition at bay. We need to do it for longer periods.

“We gave the ball away too cheaply. We had a good shape about us. They all put a shift in. It is a crying shame really because the keeper hasn’t had much to do really.

“The couple of chances they have had was when we were chasing. The Twine free-kick was a wonder strike, it is a shame it didn’t end up (going) in because we deserved something. The team performance had a lot of spirit.

“I have seen the other results. You win one, lose one, you jump places when you can. It will be like that until the end of the season.

“I am pleased with how we went about the game. We would have liked a point against a good strong team but we fell short.”