I watched Sunderland's tense win and this is why it was their best yet under Régis Le Bris

It was not Sunderland's best performance this season and most certainly not their most dominant, but the jubilant scenes near the away end after the final whistle told you that it was most certainly their best and most significant.

The last time Sunderland had played at Kenilworth Road, their players had been forced to to rush off the pitch as the home fans flooded the turf. 'One step beyond' boomed over the PA system as the away end were goaded by those celebrating. Everyone knew that night Sunderland faced a nigh-on impossible task, lacking the defenders they needed to withstand Luton Town's aggressive approach.

On Wednesday night, it was the away supporters signing long after the final whistle. In front of them Sunderland's players and staff celebrated with just a little extra relish, the melee that had ensued at the end of the game a reflection of just what a bruising battle it had been.

Sunderland were second best for much of this contest, at least in terms of possession, territory and shots. Luton's style may not be to everyone's taste but when they play like this, it is hard to doubt its effectiveness. A relentless barrage of the opposition penalty box, set up by an aggressive press that pushes the opposition back towards their own goal. For much of the contest, Sunderland struggled badly to find a way to play. Torn between going long and trying not to fight it straight back to Luton, they ended up coughing up possession either by launching it back to the home defence or by losing it too close to their own goal for comfort. That will give Le Bris and his players much to work on but in this case, it simply meant finding a different way to win. And its one that some might not have thought possible for such a young and inexperienced group of players, whose primary strengths are their technical qualities. Sunderland had to defend their box over and over again, withstanding a raft of set pieces and crosses. Chris Mepham was superb in the heart of defence and Alan Browne tenacious in midfield, signs that Sunderland's added flexibility in the transfer market this summer is bearing fruit.

While Luton undoubtedly had the more openings over the course of the night, that they only worked Anthony Patterson on a handful of occasions was testament to just how good Sunderland's last-ditch defending was. Both of their goals were also reward for their risky man-marking strategy, which gave them the space in which to break on the rare occasions when Luton did err in duels. The composure and skill with which Romaine Mundle and Chris Rigg finished demonstrated their individual quality, and that has been a theme across Sunderland's first eleven league fixtures.

Ideally, yes, you would like your side to be more dominant and an another day this result could certainly have been a little different. But that will be of little concern to Sunderland fans, at least for now. They know their team can play attacking, fluid football and particularly at home. What they didn't know is whether they could stand up to challenge like this one, and the unity and confidence they can take forward as a result could be priceless.