This is how it played out as Sunderland continue their fine form with stunning away win at QPR

The Black Cats were indebted to Anthony Patterson for a stunning penalty save midway through the second half when they still led only through Luke O’Nien’s close-range effort.

QPR were on top at that stage but Sunderland dug in and Tony Mowbray’s substitutions helped them finish the game in style as Jack Clarke finished two excellent breaks in some style.

The scoreline belied what was at times a hugely testing evening for Sunderland’s side, who were short of their best in patches but in the end deserved the points on balance of chances.

Mowbray had hinted at changes ahead of the game, concerned at potential fatigue during a busy schedule. Dan Neil and Amad dropped to the bench as a result, and it meant a switch to a 4-4-2 and an unusual midfield pairing of Luke O’Nien and Alex Pritchard.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sunderland started sluggishly and struggled to build their usual passing patterns as they adjusted to a new system.

QPR were breaking into dangerous areas and finding it easy to play through the Black Cats, who were perhaps fortunate that an obvious lack of conviction in the out-of-form team was preventing them from really cutting loose. The impressive footwork of Jamal Lowe looked their biggest asset, and when he cut an effort just inches wide of the far post it reflected a concerning performance from Sunderland.

A big chance quickly followed, though, and that was the catalyst for Mowbray’s side to start playing. Hume launched an excellent ball over the top and though Gelhardt did superbly to get the better of Jimmy Dunne, on his weaker foot he could onyl fire his effort into the side netting.

The Black Cats began to assume a decent level of control, with O’Nien forcing a decent save from Dieng after a nice move saw the ball worked to him on the dge of the area.

Sunderland kept pushing, and a delightful backheel from the lively Abdoullah Ba allowed Patrick Roberts to get his shot away. Dieng turned it wide, but within a minute the ball was in the net. Ballard got up to meet the corner and Dieng fumbled twice, the second time under a fair challenge from Alese. O’Nien was there to do the rest from barely a yard out and though Hume had to make an excellent challenge in his box shortly after, Sunderland got to the break with a deserved lead. QPR had seen slightly more of the ball, but in the end it was the visitors who had been the more incisive.

The atmosphere was growing increasingly tense and some very loose passes from the home defence gave Sunderland encouragement, but they were also fired a warning when Chair burst through on goal, his short fortunately for Sunderland straight at Patterson.

The hosts were beginning to apply some pressure, Martin going close when he met Kakay’s dangerous cross from the right.

Mowbray moved to introduce Amad but it looked as if his side’s luck run out when Alese was adjudged to have handled the ball as he leapt to try and clear another cross from Kakay. There was little wrong with Chair’s penalty – just an outstanding save from Patterson as he flew to his left to save with his legs.

The save did little to alter the flow of the game with Mowbray’s side seemingly running on empty, but a nice break through Amad and Roberts almost led to a second when the latter’s cross was turned instinctively towards goal and onto the bar by Gelhardt.

Another substitution by Mowbray helped turned that promise into another goal, Cirkin stepping in superbly seconds after his introduction to intercept a switch if play. He was cynically wiped out, but from there Clarke picked the ball up and did the rest. He drove into the box and with two touches moved the ball out from under his feet and curled it into the bottom corner.

It was an outstanding finish, and it could have been three when Ekwah sprung Amad clear on another break. The winger’s touch was just too heavy as he broke into the box, allowing Dieng to make the block.

Sunderland weren’t done though, and when substitute Dan Neil made yet another surge forward, his precise low cross was finished excellently again by Clarke.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Batth, Ballard, Alese (Cirkin, 81); O’Nien, Ba (Amad, 62); Roberts, Pritchard (Neil, 68), Clarke; Gelhardt (Ekwah, 80)

Subs: Bass, Bennette, Lihadji

QPR XI: Dieng; Laird (Kakay, 45), Dickie, Dunne, Paal; Iroegbunam (Armstrong, 75), Field, Dozzell (Johansen, 80); Chair, Lowe, Martin

Subs: Archer, Dixon-Bonner, Gubbins, Adomah

Bookings: Dickie, 63 Clarke, 69 Lowe, 70 Dozzell, 71 Johansen, 81 Paal, 89 Roberts, 90

Attendance: 14,471 (2,554)