This is how it played out as Sunderland produce a superb attacking display in 5-0 win over Morecambe

The Black Cats stormed into an early lead thanks to two superb Lynden Gooch assists, and doubled their advantage through the second half.

It was Ross Stewart who had got his side ahead, with the again excellent Alex Pritchard scoring either side of a Nathan Broadhead brace.

Leon Dajaku’s late deflected effort added extra gloss to the scoreline as Lee Johnson’s side maintained their place in the automatic promotion race.

Even more significantly, they showed the kind of attacking threat that had underlined their excellent early-season form.

Johnson had named an unchanged side from Saturday’s draw with Oxford United, but did make the decision to switch his wing-backs, and that would be prove to be significant as his side stormed into an early lead.

Operating on the left, Gooch served an early notice of his threat when the threaded an excellent pass into the box for Broadhead. The Everton loanee beat Letheren in the Morecambe goal, but was denied by an excellent defensive header on the line.

From the resulting corner a loose ball broke for Bailey Wright, whose ambitious volley flew just over the bar.

The visitors came through an early flurry of set pices, but weren’t able to hold out much longer and it was again Gooch who cut them open. This time he took on his marker, beating him on the outside before firing in a dangerous low cross on his left foot. Stewart was there to meet it on the slide and though Letheren got a good hand to it, he was unable to prevent it from crossing the line.

Sunderland were encouraged, both wing backs finding space to drive into.

The lead was doubled less than ten minutes later when Gooch repeated the trick, getting to the byline but this time standing up a floated cross to the middle of the box. It looked for a moment as if Broadhead might have just mistimed his jump, but he did excellently to head into the far corner.

The Black Cats were a constant threat in possession, though a little loose off it.

They had been given a warning in between the two goals when Ayunga had been allowed to drive into the box from the left, just delaying his shot too long and allowing the defence to get back into shape.

The direct ball was from Sunderland's perspective continuing to provide a few too many issues ,and Wildig ought to have reduced the deficit when his run to the back post was not tracked. A dangerous inswinging cross from the left found him yards from goal, but he could only turn over the bar.

The Black Cats gifted possession straight back from the goal kick, and were fortunate that when Stockton turned a loose ball home at the back post, the flag was already raised.

The in-form striker was proving a handful, firing wide when Flanagan and Hoffmann failed to deal with another ball forward.

Despite gifting up those chances, Sunderland looked every bit as likely to extend their lead even further, constantly finding space with some good passing in their opponent’s half.

Neil had gone close to a glorious goal when picking up a loose ball 25 yards out, curling his effort just inches wide of the far post.

Stewart should then have had his second ten minutes from the break, turning an effort wide after Dajaku had done superbly to beat his marker and tee him up with a clever ball inside.

The Black Cats looked much more like the side of early-season, their first half performance imperfect but enjoyable and crucially, incisive.

Morecambe made a double substitution at the break, and almost yielded an instant reward when Diagouraga fired just wide from a Stockton cross at the near post.

The striker had a shot of his own deflected wide not long after, with Sunderland still a threat but ceding chances.

If there was then still some slight concern over the game state, it would not last long.

Morecambe looked as if they had survived a strong opening when Stewart burst into the box, his low drive saved well by Letheren. But Sunderland kept the ball alive and finally got their third when Neil produced an audacious spin on the ball as it looked to be running out for a goal kick. Now with time to pick a pass, he teed up Pritchard who finished emphatically.

Having started the half brightly, the goal took the wind out of Morecambe’s sails.

The fourth came with twenty minutes play, Stewart sending Dajaku down the right flank with a wonderful pass. Morecambe got back to stop the German but the ball ran loose and found Broadhead, whose low shot was deflected past Letheren.

The fifth was cruel on the visitors, with Dajaku’s effort from the edge of the box taking a big deflection and entirely wrong-footing Letheren.

He could only watch on as the ball dropped into the far corner, as the home support revelled in a crucial win.

Sunderland XI: Hoffmann; Wright, Flanagan, Doyle; Gooch, Winchester (Embleton, 57), Neil, Dajaku; Pritchard, Broadhead (Kimpioka, 75) , Stewart (O’Brien, 75)

Subs: Patterson, Alves, Younger, Dunne

Morecambe XI: Letheren, McLaughlin, Leigh, O’Connor, Jones (Diagouraga, 45), Stockton, Wildig (Phillips, 64), Delaney, Ayunga, McCalmont, Gnahoua (Duffus, 45)

Subs: Andresson, McDonald, Cooney, Wooton

Bookings: Ayunga, 70

Attendance: 26, 516

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