Sunderland vs Plymouth Argyle: Five memorable meetings ahead of Championship match

Going nap under Mick McCarthy, a rare four-goal away win under “Mackemenemy” and a hat-trick for Old Big ‘Ead . . . Sunderland’s occasional meetings with Plymouth usually mean goals. Plenty of goals.

As the Black Cats welcome the Pilgrims to Wearside on Saturday, we look at five of the most memorable games between two clubs separated by both 400 miles and – more than often than not – by divisions.

Sunderland 5 Plymouth 0 - October 26, 1961

Brian Clough – as so often - was the centre of attention as Sunderland boosted their Division Two promotion hopes with a five-star show at Roker Park.

Harry Hooper sent Sunderland ahead with the opening goal after only nine minutes, before Brian Clough struck in the 22nd and 43rd minutes to make the game all but safe.

Clough wasted little time completing his hat-trick, making it 4-0 in the 54th minute, before Hooper doubled his own tally with a 66th-minuye penalty. That made it 17 goals in 17 games for Clough following his summer move from Middlesbrough and lifted Sunderland to third in the table.

But the Black Cats would miss out on a top two finish – and promotion -by a single point.

Plymouth 2 Sunderland 4, October 18, 1986

If a season remembered as one of the worst in Sunderland’s history had its brighter moments, this goal-fest at Home Park was one of them.

Dave Buchanan made it four goals in four games for him by firing the Black Cats into an early 2-0 lead. But the travelling fans were dreading a repeat of seeing Sunderland blow a two-goal advantage at Derby a few weeks earlier when Steve Cooper and Tommy Tynan struck twice in seven minutes early in the second half to make it 2-2.

However, 19-year-old midfielder Gordon Armstrong’s second goal of the season put Sunderland back in front in the 78th minute. And with Plymouth pressing for an equaliser, Paul Lemon hit them with a sucker punch three minutes from time to secure manager Lawrie McMenemy only a second league away win of the season.

Sadly, it would be almost four months before Sunderland won another Division Two game on the road, as they ended up third bottom of the table and in a relegation/promotion play-off against Gillingham which ended in defeat and a drop into the third tier for the first time.

Sunderland 5-1 Plymouth - March 15, 2005

A high-stakes Championship fixture at the Stadium of Light saw a superb Sunderland team performance pile pressure on Wigan, the only team above them in the table.

Mick McCarthy’s men came out the traps quickly, Dean Whitehead putting them ahead with an early header, before the same player set up Julio Arca to fire in a second, five minutes before the break.

Marcus Stewart then won and converted a penalty on the stroke of half-time to all but secure three points, which were made certain when Stephen Caldwell headed home a fourth in the 75th minute.

Scott Taylor gave Plymouth’s travelling fans something to cheer about with a 88th-minute consolation goal, only for Sean Thornton to fire home Sunderland’s fifth in added time. Six wins in their remaining eight games saw McCarthy’s team leapfrog Wigan at the top to go up as Championship winners.

Plymouth 1-3 Sunderland - May 1, 2021

No fans – due to Covid restrictions – and a miserable run of form did not mean no goals for Sunderland on their return to Home Park.

With automatic promotion blown by a seven-game run without a win, Lee Johnson’s men at least guaranteed themselves a play-off place with victory against the 10-man Pilgrims.

Lynden Gooch was the hero, sending Ross Stewart clear to open the scoring in the 21st minute, and then inspiring a late victory charge after Joe Edwards’ 63rd-minute headed equaliser.

A second yellow card saw Jerome Opoku sent off for the hosts, and Gooch made the extra man advantage pay, winning a penalty which Chris Maguire calmly put away in the 84th minute. Denver Hume’s stoppage-time tap-in sealed the win for the Black Cats.

Plymouth 2 Sunderland 0 - November 25, 2023

The only seemingly forgettable game on this list will provide any incentive Sunderland need to make home advantage count Saturday.

Defeat at Home Park might go down in history as the beginning of the end for Tony Mowbray in charge of the Black Cats, as it began a barren run in three supposedly winnable games which prompted his sacking.

Plymouth went ahead in the 24th minute with a sensational goal from Morgan Whittaker – a reported former Sunderland transfer target.

Then Finn Azaz finished equally well in the 40th minute to double the lead, before the Pilgrims survived Jobe Bellingham and Trai Hume hitting the woodwork to claim their first win in a month. Nine days – and one Championship point – later, Mowbray was dismissed.