Sunderland beat Millwall 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.

Sunderland defender Chris Mepham has admitted that he “really enjoys” the Black Cats’ “tense and nervy” 1-0 victories, but would ideally like to see his Regis Le Bris’ side put games to bed earlier more frequently.

The Wales international put in a towering display at the heart of defence as Sunderland beat Millwall at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, with Trai Hume’s first-half strike proving to be enough to separate the two sides.

But the Black Cats also squandered a host of chances to extend their lead over the Lions, including a gilded opportunity when Luke O’Nien’s late penalty was saved by opposition goalkeeper Lukas Jensen. And while the miss was not enough to prevent Sunderland from securing all three points, Mepham has suggested that the Black Cats could be doing more to make things more comfortable for themselves in the closing stages of contests.

What did Chris Mepham say about Sunderland’s win over Millwall?

Speaking in a post-match press conference, the centre-back said: “There was an opportunity for us to put the game to bed, especially with the penalty, and then it's a lot more comfortable ending. “But at the same time I really enjoy those 1-0 wins where it's tense and nervy because it keeps you alive and in the game. We probably haven't had enough games where we've been really comfortable. But I do take pride in the 1-0s like that.”

Mepham also played a vital role in maintaining Sunderland’s clean sheet against Millwall, producing a crucial late block to deny a clear cut chance for the visitors. Reflecting on his side’s defensive solidity at the weekend, he added: “It seems like our first one [clean sheet] in a while.

“I don't think defensively we've been bad but we've probably came away as a team a bit from what got us to where we are. That's something we had in our heads before this game, doing the basics well and getting back to where we were at the start of the season, being so difficult to break down.”

On his block, he continued: “That's what it's about. There has been and will be times when I'm looking for my teammates to bail me out and that was a moment I take pride in. It was nice to make that block and see us over the line.”

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What did Chris Mepham say about Millwall forward Aaron Connolly?

Saturday also marked a first return to Wearside for ex-Sunderland striker Aaron Connolly, who left the club on a free transfer to join Millwall in January after a brief stint at the Stadium of Light.

Speaking about his former teammate, Mepham said: “It's something I've experienced quite a bit, playing against former teammates. I don't know if it makes it easier or harder. When you know someone's qualities you can be a bit wary of them whereas when you don't know them you just defend as you normally do. “I thought Aaron played really well. He's a very good player but you just have to trust yourself and your qualities. For how much Millwall can throw at you, as a team we stood up to that really well.”

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