A Jack Clarke masterclass handed Tony Mowbray a victory in his first game as Sunderland boss.
Two goals from Ross Stewart and a wondergoal from Clarke put previously undefeated Rotherham United to the sword at a buoyant Stadium of Light. The duo combined throughout to inspire the Black Cats to an invaluable three points.
Mowbray raised eyebrows before kick-off when he named an unchanged line-up from the one that lost 1-0 to Norwich City at the weekend. Sunderland looked wasteful for large chunks of the game but clicked in the second half and the home side were good value for their victory.
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Sunderland were lively early on and had the first chance of the game when Dan Neil blazed an effort well over the bar.
The Black Cats terrorised Rotherham out wide, with Lyden Gooch skinning former Newcastle United winger Shane Ferguson throughout. His inviting ball on six minutes caused mayhem before Clarke scuffed an effort.
Mowbray’s men were on top in the opening stages. Alex Pritchard - who looks technically gifted at Championship level - played a weighted ball over the top for Simms. However, he blasted a shot just beyond Viktor Johansson.
Stewart eventually got involved with two big chances. First, clever play from Pritchard and Simms saw Stewart slotted in but he scuffed the resulting shot. Moments later, more clever work from Gooch saw him pull a neat cross back but the Scotsman’s effort was cleared off the line by Wes Harding.
The visitors’ first chance came from distance when Oliver Rathbones stung Anthony Patterson’s gloves from distance. Rotherham soon got on top and another ex-Magpie, Dan Barlaser, whipped a vicious set-piece into the area. To Sunderland’s blushes, Richard Wood skewed wide from point-blank range.
Patterson was called upon again on 25 minutes when Ben Wiles drilled a low shot toward goal. This brief spell of dominance was short-lived as the Black Cats regained control but, again, Stewart was wasteful…
The omnipresent Gooch played a simple pass to Pritchard, who swivelled a ball to Stewart. However, Stewart spooned his shot high and wide. Two minutes later, Dennis Cirkin hooked a cross into the area - Stewart’s bread and butter - but he headed over to end the half.
Sunderland came flying out the blocks in the second period. On 51 minutes, Black Cats fans must have thought “here we go again” when Danny Batth missed a simple header. Pritchard’s set-piece was inch-perfect but the defender failed to convert.
That dismay would turn into ecstasy 60 seconds later. On the left wing, Clarke jinked past Harding - as he had done all night - and fizzed a low cross onto the penalty spot. This time, Stewart smashed a left-footed shot under Johansson to send Wearside into raptures.
Shortly after, Clarke - the star of the show by some distance - used the outside of his boot to find Stewart again. The Scotsman now had the golden touch and smashed past Johansson with ease.
A two-goal lead put the Black Cats in a commanding position to finish the job. Five minutes later, they did exactly that.
Clarke rounded off a match-winning performance with a Lionel Messi-esque wondergoal. Stewart, turning provider, earned the easiest assist of his career to lay off a one-yard pass. Then, the 21-year-old cut in from the left, danced past three players and smashed a right-footed shot into the bottom corner. Job done.
Sunderland coasted for the remaining 20 minutes to end the Millers’ unbeaten run and give their supporters hope of reigniting a potential promotion charge.
