Exactly what happened and who impressed as Sunderland moved within striking distance of the top two

Ryan Wintle’s own goal in stoppage time of the first half was ultimately the difference between the two sides.

The Black Cats missed a host of opportunities to extend their lead further, and were good value for the win even if their profilgacy gave hope to the visitors.

Despite some tidy play on occasions from the visiting side, it was another game in which Lee Burge was almost entirely untested in the Sunderland goal.

Crewe Alexandra had vowed to try and play their way to a result at the imposing Stadium of Light, with boss David Artell noting how his side were enjoying the better standard of football in League One this season.

They were good to their words in the opening minutes, playing their part in a contest that started at a lively tempo and in which space was everywhere you looked on the pitch.

They enjoyed plenty of possession, with striker Mikael Mandron industrious on his latest return to the Stadium of Light, though it was the home side that had the first meaningful effort.

Crewe’s enterprise left room for Maguire and Scowen on the break, and they looked determined to enjoy the rare freedom.

Maguire dropped deep on the left-hand flank and split the pitch open with a superb early pass, which looked like it could forge the first goal before Charlie Wyke fired over the bar on the turn.

Crewe pushed on, and should have forced a save from Lee Burge when Daniel Powell found it too easy to escape the attentions of Denver Hume. He broke into the box but opted to shoot with team-mates waiting, and could only strike Luke O’Nien in front of him.

Slowly but surely Sunderland began to assume control, seizing possession for longer periods and pushing the home side back into their own half.

When Crewe did get the ball back, all too often they found themselves trying to force the issue, quickly gifting it back to the hosts.

Shooting opportunities remained hard to come by in the opening half hour for Sunderland, but after that they began to trouble the Crewe goal with regularity. Lynden Gooch, relishing the opportunity to surge at goal from the wing-back position, came close with a trademark shot on his left foot after bursting inside from the right flank. That effort from the edge of the area whistled just over the bar, and came after Wyke had headed a good cross from Denver Hume straight at Will Jaaskelainen in the away goal.

Hume had fired some wonderful crosses into the box throughout the half, and could consider himself unlucky not to register an assist.

Jaaskelainen was forced into a strong stop thereafter, denying Max Power after a clever one-two with Wyke.

Building on his goal at the weekend, Wyke was proving to be a handful and was turning in a performance full of endeavour.

It would pay off seconds before the interval.

The Black Cats had turned the pressure up considerably, with Maguire firing three shots just off the target in quick succession. Crewe were desperately hopng to survive until the break but their resistance was broken when Gooch delivered in a wicked early cross from the left.

The ball bounced into a dangerous area and with Wyke looming over his shoulder, centre-back Wintle had no choice but to turn a header into his own goal.

The break served Crewe well, and they spurned a big chance to get themselves level five minutes into the restart.

Mandron did superbly to escape the close attentions of Bailey Wright, springing Oli Finney clear with an excellent early pass. Finney was in on his left foot but took an extra touch when shooting was the best option, and eventually ran the ball out of play before he could test Burge.

As had been the case in the opening moments of the first half, Crewe’s enterprise created opportunity for Sunderland.

They ought to have doubled their lead shortly after Finney’s opening, Hume doing superbly to get to the byline and cut a low cross into a dangerous area. Wyje’s effort was blocked, but the loose ball ran for Power who looked certain to score. With the goal gaping, the midfielder opted for power over precision and struck his effort well over the crossbar.

The pattern of play was much the same in the second half as it had been in the first, with Crewe starting brightly but appearing to be tire. Sunderland were forcing errors, taking control and getting Hume in advanced areas.

They missed another glorious opening to double their advantage as the game headed towards the final 20 minutes, with Wright somehow heading a Scowen free kick into the floor and over the bar from a matter of yards out.

Sunderland were dominant and yet Crewe were visibly taking heart from the fact that they were still in the contest despite the dominance of the home team.

Kirk missed two half-chances on the left of the Crewe attack, first making a run off the shoulder too early and being caught offside as the ball was played through. He then had a shooting opportunity just inside the box, but was denied by a flying block from Grant Leadbitter.

It had been another utterly dominant display from Leadbitter at the base of midfield, setting the standards on and off the ball.

Sunderland continued to spurn openings of their own, though Gooch was unfortunate to be denied by a stunning Jaaskelainen block. It had been a terrific header from Wyke to release him in the box, and the wing-back did well to escape the Crewe defence with a clever dummy. He looked certain to score and his connection was clean, but the Crewe goalkeeper stood tall to make the block.

Crewe were heartened by Sunderland’s inability to kill the game off, but in truth they were unable to forge any clearing scoring opportunities as the Black Cats held on for another clean sheet.

Sunderland XI: Burge; McLaughlin, Wright, O’Nien; Gooch (Flanagan, 85), Leadbitter, Power, Hume; Maguire (O’Brien,74), Scowen (Dobson, 84), Wyke

Subs: Matthews, Graham, Diamond, Grigg

Crewe Alexandra XI: Jaaskelainen; Ng, Beckles, Offord, Pickering; Wintle, Finney (Ainley, 66), Murphy, Powell (Dale, 56), Kirk (Porter, 81), Mandron

Subs: Richards, Lowery, Zanzala, Johnson

Bookings: Jaaskelainen, 66 Ng, 71 Wintle, 90

A message from the Football Clubs Editor

Hi, our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative coverage of YOUR club every single day, home and away, 365 days a year.

This depth of SAFC coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to from the football team at the Sunderland Echo, please consider taking out a subscription to our new sports-only package.

You'll find all the details at sunderlandecho.com/subscriptions/sports.

Your support is much appreciated.

Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor