Sheff Wed 1 - 2 Sunderland

Sunderland revitalised their hopes of automated promotion from the Championship after Eliezer Mayenda’s double helped them beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at Hillsborough.

Successive defeats to Leeds and Hull had left the Black Cats eight factors behind second-placed Sheffield United with 12 video games left to play, however Mayenda – who additionally scored twice within the return fixture in August – helped cut back that to 5 forward of the rest of the weekend’s motion.

A fourth defeat in 5 retains Wednesday – who misplaced each Max Lowe and Callum Paterson to harm – down in thirteenth, with a six-point hole to the play-off locations.

Though there was no lack of depth, the sport took a short while to heat up. And, when it did, Sheffield Wednesday ought to, arguably, have been in entrance when one in every of many Pol Valentin crosses from the suitable discovered Josh Windass – with out a objective in 10 video games – who blazed nicely over first time.

Sunderland did take the lead shortly after the half-hour mark – and in controversial circumstances.

Leo Hjelde’s lengthy ball out from defence flew right through to Mayenda, who managed the ball after Lowe’s poorly-timed soar and lifted the ball previous James Beadle. However the first contact was made along with his left arm and, by the legal guidelines of the sport, it shouldn’t have stood.

“It strikes him on the arm and you may’t then profit,” stated Andy Hinchcliffe on Sky Sports activities Soccer. “If you happen to cross the ball onto a team-mate, they’ll put the ball into the again of the web, however Mayenda was by no means going to do this. He takes the chance, however actually the objective should not stand.”

There have been few appeals on the pitch on the time, however Danny Rohl’s facet would have seen replays at half-time and so they got down to put the report straight instantly after the break, which took lower than 120 seconds.

Svante Ingelsson pipped Chris Mepham to the ball on the suitable, superior down the left and hung up essentially the most inviting ball for Paterson, who rose to information the ball previous Anthony Patterson.

After a lull in proceedings, Mayenda restored the guests’ lead with 19 minutes of the 90 to play. Trai Hume delivered an outstanding ball in from the suitable and, with Michael Ihiekwe ball-watching, the Spaniard was free to move the ball past Beadle.

In stoppage time, Djeidi Gassama noticed a strong low strike bravely blocked by Mepham, however, in any other case, there was little indication the out-of-form Owls had been ever going to discover a manner again into the sport.