Saturday 16 April 2016 17:44, UK
Sam Allardyce felt his Sunderland side produced a "massive result" as they beat Norwich 3-0 to boost their bid to beat relegation.
Fabio Borini's first-half penalty and second-half strikes from Jermain Defoe and Duncan Watmore left Sunderland just a point behind 17th-placed Norwich with a game in hand.
And Allardyce praised his players for showing composure in front of goal as they narrowed the gap on their relegation rivals.
"It's a huge moment for us, to come here and try to win this game," he said.
"Dealing with the pressure paid off. That was the key element to our victory because of the position we are in and because we were away from home.
"Our clinical finishing at the right time put the game to bed and our defending was superb. Everything was right. It's a massive result and it gives us a lot more hope.
"If we'd lost, we'd have been seven points behind. Now it's only one point, a better goal difference and a game in hand. If we can pick up some points next week, then we can rush in and see how everyone else has done."
These two clubs play for the Friendship Trophy whenever they meet, a tradition stemming back from the 1985 League Cup final between the sides.
But there was nothing remotely amicable about this clash, with tempers boiling over virtually straight from the kick-off after Robbie Brady's challenge sent DeAndre Yedlin head first into the advertising hoardings.
Players and staff from both sides squared up in front of the dug-out with Allardyce in the thick of it, shoving Norwich's Jonny Howson and Cameron Jerome.
"I got a bit carried away, but the Norwich players were encroaching my box," added Allardyce, who also insisted he saw nothing untoward after the game amid rumours of a tunnel bust-up.
"I was always going to protect my players and my mob."
