They looked nothing like home supremacists in the opening half an hour. But once Jobe Bellingham found the net on 40 minutes with a goal big brother Jude would have been mighty proud of, Regis Le Bris’ side turned on the style. Wilson Isidor stretched the lead in the 54th minute rounding off a fine move.
Bellingham brought in Romaine Mundle – again excelling on the left – and when he delivered la ow cross, Isidor made it two goals inside a week with a close range finish. Derby never gave up and there were one or two scares in the closing minutes but there’s an in-built confidence running through this young Sunderland side. And even when the football isn’t flowing, a collective steel belies their inexperience.
Sunderland had to overcome a sluggish start before going in a goal up at the break. And it was arguably the best they’ve scored this term with Bellingham’s long-distance rocket exploding past Jacob Zetterstrom in the Derby goal. Le Bris had handed a vote of confidence to skipper Dan Neil after his rash challenge gifted Watford a late matchwinning penalty at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Neil took his place in an unchanged Black Cats line-up, knowing the spotlight was very much on him following a mediocre start to the campaign. He did not let his manager down. But for a side going into the game boasting a 100 per cent home record, Sunderland’s start was none too convincing and it wasn’t until the closing stages of the opening period that they finally found .