Phil Smith's verdict: The crucial Alex Neil call that proved vital in another late Sunderland show

The importance of Nathan Broadhead's late header was lost on no one but the enormity of another late, late Sunderland show was underlined a day later when Sheffield Wednesday secured an impressive win at MK Dons.
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It has been trending this way for some time but it now looks clear that the team finishing sixth in League One this season will have the highest points tally in the 21st century.

There is no margin for error and having again stared down the barrel of a frustrating result, Alex Neil's side again found a way to keep themselves firmly in contention.

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Sunderland's late goal habit (that is now 11 points Neil's side have won in the last ten minutes of the game) is perhaps not sustainable to this level but it is no fluke, either.

Nathan Broadhead celebrates another late Sunderland goalNathan Broadhead celebrates another late Sunderland goal
Nathan Broadhead celebrates another late Sunderland goal

Time and time again key changes have reversed the flow of the game and it was the same here.

Neil was increasingly alarmed with what he was seeing from his side after Josh Vela had halved a two-goal deficit, and so turned to Corry Evans on his bench. Evans has been a central player in recent weeks but with a demanding workload and a daunting trip to Plymouth on the horizon, Neil here felt a rest was the best way forward.

As the Northern Irishman was preparing to come on Tom Flanagan thumped in an equaliser, but Neil resisted the temptation to switch course and throw on another attacker.

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Evans helped shut down Shrewsbury's counterattacking threat, and slowly but surely Sunderland wrestled back control of both possession and territory.Sunderland have increasing belief and in forward areas they have the kind of quality that at this level can hurt opponents at any time.

Combine that with Neil's calculated and dispassionate reading of the game in the dug out, and you can see why they have developed a habit of coming out on the right side of tight margins.

Neil said this was 'the best and worst' of his side, superb through the opening 40 minutes and dismal in the 25 minutes either side of half time.

It was clear that he was more concerned about the latter than the former, admitting that he didn't even celebrate Broadhead's strike initially.

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The head coach had a simple diagnosis of what had gone wrong, citing overconfidence on the ball and a lack of intensity off it. Not enough headers won, too slow to the second balls that followed. 'We were beaten up', he said.

His hope, and it is fair to say his expectation, is that this would serve as a necessary jolt to his side ahead of four stern tests in the race for the play-offs.

The reality is that it will need to be, such are the stakes not at play in each and every game.

The positive was that while for much of Neil's tenure Sunderland have been resilient if not sparkling, then for the hour either side of those Shrewsbury goals they looked as fluent and fluid as they have for some time in possession.

At Plymouth, opportunity knocks.

A week ago it looked as if Steven Schumacher's side looked to have all-but wrapped up a play-off spot, yet on Monday Sunderland could leapfrog them.

This is going right to the wire.