Sunderland defender Tom Flanagan reveals next season hopes and delivers Gillingham, Dennis Cirkin and Callum Doyle verdicts

The Black Cats reignited their promotion hopes with a 2-1 win over the Gills at Prietfield on Saturday.

Luke O’Nien conceded a penalty in the first half which was dispatched by Danny Lloyd as the Wearsiders struggled to get a grip on the game.

Sunderland battled back, though, and won the game after goals from Aiden O’Brien and Tom Flannagan as Elliot Embleton saw red.

The game saw Lee Johnson’s men return to winning ways in League One following a 4-0 loss against Portsmouth two weeks ago.

Speaking after the fixture, Flanagan said: “After the Portsmouth game, It could have been different because we really didn’t give a good display but we have put a couple of bogeys to rest and we move on now.

“I could repeat myself loads of times but it's the polar opposite to two weeks ago in that we kept doing the right things and mixing up our play.

“We were getting frustrated with each other and I think that was obvious and we lacked a bit of quality but we have good players who can win a game for us.

“Briz [O’Brien] has shown that and Rosco [Stewart] has ran tirelessly and I’m sure Gillingham will be glad to see the back of him.

“So just like doing the same things over and over again. We trust in the things we’re being told to do and hopefully they will come to fruition."

Steve Evans’ Gillingham provided a tough test of Sunderland with Johnson’s squad impacted by injuries to Nathan Broadhead, Aiden McGeady, Frederik Alves, Lynden Gooch and Corry Evans.

Johnson was forced to name an inexperienced bench with under-23 players Stephen Wearne, Harrison Sohna, Will Harris and Oliver Younger making the trip south.

That added extra pressure on some of the younger members in Sunderland’s starting XI with Callum Doyle, 18, and Dennis Cirkin, 19, playing at Priestfield for the first time since their summer moves to the North East.

Doyle, a loan signing from Manchester City, and Dennis Cirkin, bought from Tottenham, both handled the occasion well as Sunderland ran out winners in tough circumstances following Embleton’s red in a gritty defensive display.

“The only lads that didn’t know what to expect when we turned up here was maybe the boys who are lucky enough to have come out of the Premier League clubs because they won’t have played in games like this.

“But they stood up to it. I think Callum was again brilliant and Dennis was superb. And they won’t have played in a game like that and that’s why clubs send them out and that’s why we have signed Dennis.

“To make him a better player and he’ll know what’s going to happen next time. I’m sure everyone’s plan is that we don’t come back here again. I certainly hope that we don’t come back here again but we move on now with a big game on Tuesday.”

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