Phil Smith's verdict: Inside the entertaining afternoon that showed exactly why Sunderland's promotion push is back on track

A little too much? Maybe.

It was a game that should have been killed off by Sunderland long before, but a raft of promising chances yielded only two goals and as we have seen so many times before, that is not a tally that equates to a comfortable afternoon.

All it took was one lapse at a set piece, a decent delivery not dealt with, and we were set up for a nervy conclusion.

It did not help, it should be said, that by this point the refereeing decisions had become a total lottery.

Lee Johnson often says this to his players. Even in good performances, a one-goal deficit leaves you vulnerable to a stunning strike from nowhere, or the whim of inconsistent officiating.

Johnson noted, though, that when anxiety *should* have set in around the Stadium of Light it didn't, really.

The 'brilliant' home support remained vociferous, players and fans feeding off each other as numerous chances were created to secure the points once and for all.

Nathan Broadhead drew a fine save from Mike Cooper; Leon Dajaku fired an ambitious effort just wide of the far post.

Some neat play under pressure led to a fine break down the right, the otherwise superb Carl Winchester just not quite able to get the cross away.

Perhaps it should have all been a little bit more straightforward but there was something in this atmosphere, both in terms of Sunderland's short-term prospects and their long-term project.

The aim here is to create an effective counter pressing side, one that can unlock the passion of the home support by playing with quality but at a high tempo.

Clearly this is not always going to be possible, poor form and injuries taking their toll inevitably taking their toll at various stages through the season. Even now, it should be said, pitch challenges are clearly hampering the home side at times as they look to zip the ball around.

This first half hour, though, gave you a glimpse of something that everyone on Wearside would get behind, perhaps the most complete performance since that frenzied first-half performance against Lincoln City in the play-off semi final.

The opening goal came from a clever corner routine that caught Plymouth off-guard (and drew praise from Pilgrims' boss Steven Schumacher), but by that point Sunderland were already creating all of the chances.

Getting Broadhead into the side on a regular basis has improved Sunderland's energy in the final third, and that in turn is beginning to make them a more dangerous and aggressive pressing side.

They forced Plymouth into errors, and from there the transition play was excellent.

Through the opening stages Alex Pritchard was superb, constantly springing players around him free with early and precise passes.

It was to Leon Dajaku's credit, too, that Schumacher was forced into reshuffling his back line.

Injury had forced him to initially start Ryan Broom as the left wing back (a midfielder, generally) and it was a decision he initially felt comfortable with, given the way that Lynden

Gooch had caused Morecambe so many issues down the other flank on Tuesday night.

But so regular and dangerous were the German's drives into the channel that eventually he felt obliged to switch it, bringing his stronger defender over.

The only regret through that early period was that Sunderland didn't make more of their regular final-third entries.

It also spoke to one of the key changes Johnson has made on home turf this season, where Sunderland's record remains superb even if there was recently frustration against Oxford United and Charlton Athletic.

Through the behind-closed-doors period and particularly the months before it, too often Sunderland were failing to turn statistical dominance into results.

They were having most of the ball and all of the territory, but too often found themselves unable to turn that into clear cut chances.Sunderland are a little looser now, and are quite often having less possession than their opponents, but Johnson's gamble is that extra space will actually better serve his attacking players.

It was not always the case that Sunderland were in control, of course.

An injury to Lynden Gooch at half time forced a reshuffle and rather than bring one of his defenders on from the bench, Johnson opted to push Winchester into the backline.

The Northern Irishman was terrific in the latter stages, but initially there was no doubt that Sunderland suffered and that Plymouth were buoyed.

On balance, though, it was three points fully deserved.

It took Johnson's side back to the two points-per-game mark as we approach the halfway stage, and that feels like a fair reflection of the way not just results but performances have been steadily rebuilt over the past fortnight.

It has not always felt like a directly upward curve but after promising signs, this was as close to those exciting early-season performances that Sunderland have delivered in a while.

Johnson and his group now have a rare midweek to recover ahead of a busy festive schedule. The hope is that one or two players will be able to return from injury (and that will be absolutely key if Gooch's groin injury proves to be more serious), and given the recent issues it will feel like a positive result to get to the opening of the January window very much in touch with the top two.

Then, it will be over to the board to deliver the improvements needed to turn this promising side into a promotion-winning one.

For now, though, there is just a little time to bask in the glow of an entertaining afternoon at the Stadium of Light.

That, after all, is what this project is about.

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