ON THE ROAD: High-flying Sunderland may have been given a Middlesbrough beating but the freak score should not quell hope on Wearside… they are likely to push for promotion and positivity is brimming again

• Sunderland’s play-off hopes were dented after a heavy loss by Middlesbrough
• But their second-half collapse was an anomaly and they are clearly on the rise 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ 

Those who remained stared blankly into space. Well-meaning spouses, relatives and friends tried to comfort but there was a feeling of numbness.

Perhaps the sensible ones were those who walked out early, probably back in the sanctuary of home or the pub by now, trying to ensure the result wasn’t a total weekend-wrecker.

A few raged impotently at referee Jarred Gillett, whose decision to send off Dan Neil for dissent just before half-time had completely flipped the momentum in this Wear-Tees derby. ‘Four-nil to the referee,’ they sang.

Any local derby defeat stings and more than a few Sunderland fans will no doubt be dreading the jibes of Middlesbrough-supporting colleagues on Monday morning. But this fanbase is well accustomed to that numb sensation, the suspicion that everything is stacked against you, the feeling of being cursed.

Anybody who watched the excellent Sunderland ‘Til I Die Netflix series, which charted the club’s miserable fall from Premier League prominence to League One purgatory, could sympathise. The shoddy ownership, the freeloading players, the unfathomable defeats – it was all there.

Sunderland are undoubtedly on the rise again despite their anomaly defeat by Sunderland

Michael Carrick’s Boro emerged 4-0 victors to dampen the positivity at the Stadium of Light

‘Help us through our anger and our fury when our team is not performing as best it can,’ says Father Marc Lyden-Smith to his praying congregation in one scene. But when the third season of hits our screens in the coming months, it will actually reflect brimming positivity at the Stadium of Light. At last.

Saturday’s second-half collapse was an anomaly of a result because Sunderland are undoubtedly on the rise again. After Alex Neil finally got them out of League One last year, Tony Mowbray has assembled an exciting young team – the average age of Saturday’s starting line-up was 22.8 – with lofty ambitions.

Having flirted with promotion to the top flight last season, losing to Luton in the play-off semi-finals, Sunderland remain well-placed for another crack this time around.

‘This young team is playing with passion, courage and confidence,’ Fr Lyden-Smith told Mail Sport before kick-off. 

‘They look like Barcelona at times. Tony will happily throw more attackers in and the fans love to see the team take the game to the opposition. There is lots of positivity. We’re looking at this team and thinking it can be great for years to come.

Dan Neil was dismissed before half-time and the visitors made use of their man advantage

Tony Mowbray has assembled an exciting young team and they are set to push for the play-offs

‘We’ll certainly be there or thereabouts with promotion, which is where Sunderland belong, they’re such a big team with big expectations.’

So how much divine intervention is required these days? ‘The city will always keep its faith in the team,’ he says. ‘It has been a miserable time. The relegation coincided with Covid, the cost of living crisis, a mental health epidemic, the NHS struggling…

‘We have been besieged by problems and the football played into this as well. It’s been a real tough few years and extra hard being a Sunderland supporter. But now there is optimism. Things are looking up again.’

Even in a week when bitter rivals Newcastle United have thrashed Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 in the Champions League? 

‘I’m not one to despise Newcastle but it is bittersweet. You’re battling Watford in the Championship (on Wednesday night) and your arch-rivals are playing PSG,’ he adds. ‘But that’s where we are and we’re working to get out of it.’

That positivity was certainly palpable at first on Saturday. A giant banner unfurled in the home end before kick-off read ‘Passion. Pride. Wearside’ and the atmosphere was raucous.

Boro earned the club’s biggest-ever away victory on Wearside, delighting manager Carrick

The travelling Middlesbrough fans perched in the gods were taunted with chants of ‘you’re just a small town in Yorkshire.’ Technically true though it has its own distinct identity.

But when Gillett overheard Neil say ‘that’s a f****** foul, ref’ on the stroke of half-time, he showed the young midfielder a second yellow card in a moment that stunned the whole stadium.

It can be difficult for teams to break down 10 men but Middlesbrough had no such issues, as goals by Sam Greenwood, Matt Crooks, Isaiah Jones and Marcus Forss earned the club’s biggest-ever away win on Wearside.

‘I told the lads to put this game in the bin, I see it as a learning curve,’ said Mowbray. 

He is right to put such a freak scoreline in its proper context. Sunderland are still fourth in the Championship and look likely to challenge for promotion.

These are pretty good times again and all that will be remembered when the numbness subsides.

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.

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