Story of the day as Sunderland thrash Cheltenham to go top of League One after Ross Stewart double plus Bailey Wright, Luke O'Nien and Leon Dajaku goals
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Ross Stewart scored twice for the Black Cats after Bailey Wright’s headed opener to put the hosts in full control at the half-time interval.
Second-half goals from Luke O’Nien and substitute Leon Dajaku, his first for the club, then put even more gloss on the scoreline for Lee Johnson’s side.
Here’s how the game played out at the Stadium of Light:
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RECAP: Sunderland 5 (Wright, 11) (Stewart, 29, 37) (O’Nien, 65) Cheltenham 0
Key Events
- Sunderland XI: Hoffmann, Winchester, Flanagan (Alves, 57), Wright, Huggins, Evans, O’Nien, McGeady (Dajaku, 61), Broadhead, O’Brien, Stewart (Pritchard, 73)
- Subs: Burge, Alves, Taylor, Neil, Pritchard, Embleton, Dajaku
- Cheltenham XI: Flinders, Long, Hussey, Pollock (May, 45), Freestone, Thomas, Sercombe, Chapman, Blair, Perry, Joseph
- Subs: Evans, May, Williams, Bonds, Horton, Barkers, Norton
45’ Close from Broadhead
The Everton loanee has made some excellent runs in behind Cheltenham’s defence and deserves a goal.
He almost scored one there as he charged away from Pollock but blazed his shot over the bar.
37’ GOAL!!! STEWART AGAIN!
Playing with two strikers is certainly paying off.
Another fine move saw Broadhead run through the middle of the pitch before releasing McGeady to the right of the penalty area.
The winger then cut the ball back for Stewart who converted from close range.
That’s his seventh of the season. 3-0!
34’ It could have been three
Stewart almost got another one there.
Huggins’ forward pass to Broadhead forced the visitors back before the striker slipped the ball to McGeady on the right.
The winger’s cross was then headed over by Stewart on the stretch.
29’ GOAL!!! STEWART!!!
The Loch Ness Drogba scores again!
It was a lovely sweeping move as Winchester broke forward from right-back and curled a low cross into the box which was left by Broadhead.
The striker knew Stewart was behind him and the latter converted from close range.
2-0.
24’ Winchester’s effort goes wide
The Sunderland right-back has taken up more advanced positions on the flank.
He was urged to shoot by the home fans from the edge of the box there but his low effort went just wide.
O’Brien has also switched to the right, with McGeady moving to the right.