'Quite brilliant': Phil Smith's report and ratings with two 8s as Sunderland seal stunning win - gallery

Sunderland overcame severe pressure to seal one of their best wins of the season yet at Kenilworth Road.

Goals from Chris Rigg and Romaine Mundle secured the three points either side of Elijah Adebayo’s equaliser to maintain the Black Cats’ place at the top of the table.

Though Sunderland spent large parts of the game under severe pressure, the quality of their finishing and their determination to defend their own box won through.

Though Sunderland had to endure a brutal half to reach the interval level, they had actually gone close to scoring in the opening minutes. On his return to the starting XI Alan Browne found space down the right, cutting the ball back to Dan Neil on the edge. His effort was perhaps slightly too close to the goalkeeper, but Kaminski still had to make a superb reflex save to deny him. Sunderland went close again when Mundle burst past his man to the byline, his low cross just cleared before Kaminski blocked Browne’s backheel. 

From there Luton were almost entirely dominant, even if clear chances were few and far between. Morris had the first sight of goal when he gathered a cross from Moses, driving wide of the near post on the turn. Sunderland couldn’t get out in the face of a relentless press from the hosts, leading to a barrage of set plays that almost yielded a goal. Patterson had to claw a header from Mark McGuiness away as he raced across his line, before O’Nien headed onto his own bar from another corner.

Sunderland threatened only sporadically on the break, Bellingham having an effort deflected wide from the edge of the area after a swift break.

It was to the visitor’s credit that for all Luton’s dominance, chances had not been frequent. That was testament to some excellent last-ditch defending of the box, particularly from set plays. Still, Luton had the ball in the net when Hashioka flicked on a corner, Morris unmarked and driving into the bottom corner from close range. To Sunderland’s relief, the flag was raised as Clark was deemed to be interfering with play. He had initially been blocking Ptterson, before moving to try and meet the flick. It was a contentious call and Sunderland were relieved to hear the whistle.

The second half started much the same as the first, Mepham blocking superbly from Clark before Patterson made a flying save from Adebayo’s header in the follow up. Sunderland were struggling to play but took the lead against the run of play when Isidor challenged for a header, the loose ball running across midfield. Rigg picked it up and drove into the box, holding his composure to wait for the space to open up. From there he finished superbly, driving past Kaminski to give his side the lead. Cirkin then drew a flying save from Kaminski moments later as the momentum of the game flipped.

The lead lasted just a matter of minutes, though, as Luton’s set plays eventually paid off. Morris was left free at the back post to flick a free kick from deep back across goal, where Adebayo simply couldn’t miss from just a couple of yards.

There may have been fears that Luton would then pile on the pressure but Sunderland took just moments to respond, an impeccably-timed Trai Hume tackle setting up a break. Neil fed Mundle and from the byline the winger did superbly, driving infield and beating two players before firing past Kaminski into the far corner. Just ten minutes had passed between the three goals. 

Luton piled on the pressure through the closing stages and should have levelled when Alfie Doughty burst through on goal, but his effort was straight at Patterson. Holmes then blazed over from yet another Luton corner but Sunderland were rewarded for their resilient defending to seal three vital points. The hosts were left aggrieved by a host of decisions, feeling they should have had stoppage-time penalties for a push on Clark by Hume and a handball from Aaron Connolly, though neither looked obvious offences.

There were a slew of yellow cards after a scrap at the final whistle, starting as Mepham (fairly) challenged Kaminski and drew the ire of the Luton goalkeeper. Players and coaches from both sides piled into the melee and those scenes may attract more interest from the FA in the days ahead but nothing could take the shine off a stunning win for the Black Cats.