Sunderland 2-1 Stoke City: Tom Watson double earns Black Cats a comeback win

Teenager Tom Watson scored his first Sunderland goals as the Black Cats came from behind to beat Stoke 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.

Lewis Koumas had put Stoke ahead after six minutes but Watson immediately cancelled out the away side's opener.

The winger then brought an end to Sunderland's six-match winless run when he fired home the winner four minutes from time.

It was a deserved success for Sunderland, who were much the better team throughout and had 24 shots on goal.

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The victory gets the Black Cats back on track after their defeat to Sheffield United last time out, but Narcis Pelach's Stoke side are now winless in their last five games.

The Potters had failed to score in their last two outings but it took just six minutes for them to break the deadlock on Wearside. Koumas raced away down the right and, although his first effort was saved by Anthony Patterson, the Liverpool loanee was on the spot to tuck away the rebound.

Sunderland's response was instant and just a minute later Watson lashed a low drive beyond Viktor Johansson.

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The teenage winger is getting his first run in the Sunderland team in the absence of the injured Romaine Mundle and almost scored a second inside quarter of an hour when his low drive was kept out by the feet of Johansson.

Wilson Isidor could have had a hat-trick before the break for the Black Cats. The striker first saw a fiercely hit free-kick brilliantly kept out by Johansson, who then denied the Zenit St Petersburg loanee again when he raced away one-on-one. Isidor's frustration deepened when his close-range volley from Aji Alese's shot flashed wide.

Watson then went agonisingly close to his second goal when his curled effort clipped the outside of the post, but Stoke survived to the break.

The visitors quickly found themselves up against it again at the start of the second half, Johansson punching away under pressure after Chris Rigg's deflected effort looped towards goal.

The chances dried up but Watson was Sunderland's most dangerous attacker and crossed for Rigg, who was denied by Johansson 20 minutes from time. Watson then missed a glorious chance, slicing over from just six yards out after fine build-up play from Patrick Roberts.

Eliezer Mayenda was introduced and almost made an immediate impact when his knock-down was tapped in by Isidor, but the striker was flagged offside.

But Sunderland and Watson were not to be denied and the Black Cats forced a winner when Roberts crossed for the winger to fire home from inside the box.

The managers

Sunderland's Regis Le Bris:

"Players always need time to adapt. So far Tommy has developed very fast. We need that kind of profile. I like it. When you have a winger with the ability to run inside and outside and cross, it's a gift for a coach and a team.

"Now he will face the difficulties every player has to face such as consistency and needing to defend as well. There are many things to develop but it was an interesting game for him.

"He's very strong, he is a very good winger for this team and in this league. He works well and the system is well designed for him. We can use him very quickly and play to his main strengths.

"He's powerful, he can dribble, he can move inside and outside and he scored. Today he was very strong."

Stoke's Narcis Pelach:

"I'm disappointed, disappointed because we lost at the very end with a deflected goal. They had a lot of shots but we had our chances and moments as well.

"I'm disappointed because we conceded the first goal just after we had scored. It's a situation we can avoid, we just need to win the ball in the air. He's competing for the ball in the air and no one went for it.

"We could have taken something from the game because at times we were good on the ball, trying to attack them and accelerate the action through the middle. But they are a good side as well.

"In the final third they have presence, they switch the ball fast and they have wingers who can do damage in one-on-one situations.

"We had people there blocking shots, a lot of bodies, but I'm disappointed with the result."

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