Sunderland 1-0 AFC Wimbledon: Aiden McGeady earns narrow win

Sunderland's pursuit of automatic promotion from League One was strengthened as Aiden McGeady's second-half strike secured a 1-0 win over a dogged AFC Wimbledon at the Stadium of Light.

McGeady's 67th-minute goal helped Sunderland end a run of three successive 1-1 draws and leave them in fourth spot, three points behind second-placed Barnsley.

The Black Cats handed debuts to January signings Grant Leadbitter and Lewis Morgan, but the hosts were under the cosh in the early stages against the division's bottom side.

AFC Wimbledon should have scored in the eighth minute, but while the ball dropped invitingly for Will Nightingale after the Sunderland defence failed to deal with a corner, he blazed over from six yards with the goal seemingly at his mercy.

Nightingale went close again shortly before the half-hour mark, this time inadvertently, with Reece James' hurried clearance cannoning into him before rebounding just past the post.

Sunderland failed to record a single effort at goal in the first half, but when they finally located the target in the 67th minute, they made it count.

Visiting defender Tennai Watson made a mess of dealing with a routine long ball over the top, and having seized possession on the left-hand corner of the box, McGeady curled a fine finish into the far corner.

Dons came close to claiming an equaliser with six minutes left, but Sunderland goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin got down well to keep out Scott Wagstaff's low shot.

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