This is how it played out as tenacious Sunderland secure second Championship win at Stoke City

The Black Cats struggled to get up to the pace of the game in the first half but a Ross Stewart goal on the brink of half time gave them a lead that they held on to with real spirit in the second half.

Though Anthony Patterson had to make some fine saves throughout Alex Neil’s side were much improved in the second half and arguably should have made more of some excellent counter-attacking opportunities.

The hosts applied some heavy pressure but in the end the Black Cats were just about value for their second win of the campaign.

It had been a tough midweek for Sunderland, playing away from home for an hour with ten men and against one of the best sides in the division for good measure.

With Corry Evans fit enough only for the bench, they were also lacking experience and for much of the first half it told.

Much of Neil’s sides problems were of their own making, slack in possession and struggling to cope with a lively strike force. Liam Delap had an effort blocked early on debut, with Ben Wilmot heading over the bar from the following cross. Anthony Patterson then produced a superb save from Jacob Brown, after the striker brought down a long ball and unfurled a thumping effort that looked destined for the back of the net.

When O’Nien was forced to haul down Delap and take a book not long after, Patterson had to be alert to palm clear Brown’s free kick.

Neil was understandably looking a frustrated figure on the touchline, his side slack in possession and struggling to press with much effect. They looked leggy, and the hosts the better side.

One thing you know about this current side, though, is that they will always have something a threat up front. Simms fired an effort into the side netting after finally being sprung clear, and that settled the visitors who had a good ten-minute spell. They went close when a corner dropped to Matete on the edge of the box, but his half volley under pressure flew comfortably over the bar.

Those issues from early in the half began to return, both Matete and Embleton forced to take yellow cards as Stoke broke away dangerously.

Patterson had to make another good save from Brown, and when the impressive Lewis Baker clipped a free kick just wide you had the sense that getting into half time level would be a result for the Black Cats.

Then from nowhere they struck. Clarke received the ball with his back to his own goal, deep in his own half, but was free to drive infield. He spotted the run of Stewart and found him with an excellent pass. Bursik got a hand to the effort and should have made the save, but it rolled over the line to give the visitors a valuable if perhaps slightly fortuitous half-time advantage.

It was a scrappy start to the second half in which Sunderland’s errors continued, but two dangerous breaks also offered half chances to Clarke and Pritchard. The first saw his shot blocked well, and the latter fired well over.

The game was swinging from end to end, far more open than Neil would have liked. Another counter almost brought the second, Simms beaten Bursik but dragging his effort just wide of the inside post.

As the half developed Sunderland were doing well to take the sting out of the contest, the home support increasingly frustrated with what they thought was quite sterile possession across their backline. Sunderland forged themselves another good chance when Simms gathered a quick free kick and teed Embleton up on the edge of the box, but his right-footed effort was sliced wide of the far post.

Sunderland looked comfortable, but with three genuine centre forwards on the pitch it was clear that Stoke would retain a threat right until the end of a contest.

Sure enough they began to dominate, Sunderland having to repel a barrage of set pieces and long balls. One almost brought the equaliser when Batth erred, substitute Dwight Gayle doing brilliantly to manufacture the chance but then putting his effort just over the bar.

The Black Cats should have made sure of the point when they were able to break out just before added time, but Stewart could only turn an effort wide of the far post.

If it was feared that it would prove to be a costly miss then five minutes of stoppage time was in the end superbly managed, Dennis Cirkin capping off a terrific display with a fine challenge to snuff out one of the few dangerous Stoke forays forward.

This was not Sunderland’s most fluent display of the campaign by any stretch of the imagination, but that made it all the sweeter for the travelling support who raored their appreciation

Sunderland AFC XI: Patterson; O’Nien (Wright, 45), Batth, Cirkin; Gooch, Matete (Evans, 45), Embleton, Clarke, Pritchard (Hume, 87); Stewart, Simms

Subs: Bass, Roberts, Diamond, Alese

Stoke City XI: Bursik; Taylor, Jagielka, Wilmot; Fosu, Smallbone (Clucas, 68), Kilkenny (Campbell, 68), Baker, Thompson; Brown (Gayle, 60), Delap (Wright-Phillips, 75)

Subs: Bonham, Fox, Flint, Wright-Phillips

Bookings: O’Nien, 13 Matete, 17 Embleton, 41 Taylor, 45 Delap, 47 Wright, 48 Brown, 58 Clarke, 63 Pritchard, 81

Attendance: 21,230 (2,605 away)