Sunderland vs Bristol Rovers. Sky Bet League One.
Stadium of LightAttendance31,541.
Sunderland 3
- L Gooch (71st minute)
- C Wyke (73rd minute)
- L O'Nien (82nd minute)
Bristol Rovers 0
- A Ogogo (sent off 59th minute)
Sunderland 3-0 Bristol Rovers: Lynden Gooch, Luke O'Nien on target in fine Black Cats win
Saturday 22 February 2020 21:29, UK
Three second-half goals saw Sunderland continue their fine form with a deserved 3-0 win over 10-man Bristol Rovers.
They were on top throughout, though Rovers' defence was only breached once Abu Ogogo was sent off. Lynden Gooch, Charlie Wyke and Luke O'Nien secured a ninth win from 12 games to lift the Black Cats to fourth in League One.
For long spells Phil Parkinson's men failed to seriously trouble goalkeeper Jamal Blackman. Nobody was on hand to turn home an inviting Denver Hume ball across the goalmouth, Wyke shot over at the near post and O'Nien headed inches over when meeting Hume's cross.
But on the hour mark referee Ben Toner dismissed Ogogo, who had collided with Chris Maguire off the ball, and 13 minutes later the floodgates opened.
Gooch added the finishing touch to a lovely passing move, side-footing in after a pass from the right, and Wyke soon doubled the advantage when he rounded Blackman.
It was 3-0 when Chris Maguire made ground down the right, pulling the ball back for O'Nien, and his effort took a heavy deflection before hitting the net.