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Sunderland 1 Sheff Weds 0: Ross Stewart gives rampant Black Cats crucial first-leg advantage at raucous Stadium of Light
THE ‘Loch Ness Drogba’ gobbled up the Owls and it is advantage Sunderland in the battle of the League One titans.
Given the nickname when he arrived from Ross County 15 months ago, Ross Stewart was already on his way to legend status with 24 goals this term.
Ross Stewart prods home the winnerRex
The ‘Loch Ness Drogba’ wheels away in celebrationRex
And the Scottish striker’s 25th will be talked about for decades if — and it remains a big if — the Black Cats finally end their third-tier torture.
On a raucous Wearside night in front of 44,742 fans, Sheffield Wednesday defender Sam Hutchinson’s howler gifted Stewart the chance.
When he failed to deal with a simple long ball, the forward nipped in and saw his first effort saved before igniting lift-off at the Stadium of Light.
Wednesday were caught in the eye of a storm and are lucky not to be three or four behind ahead of Monday’s second leg.
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For all that Sunderland’s noisy backing played its part, a sold-out Hillsborough holds the same magic.
Yet if the Yorkshiremen play like this, it will be the Black Cats heading to Wembley on May 21.
Now in their fourth League One season, Sunderland have endured two bouts of play-off heartbreak — in the final against Charlton in 2018-19 and at this stage at the hands of Lincoln last season.
They total six failed attempts in their history and, given their ability to implode, the tie is far from over.
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There cannot be many clubs who, in their fourth year in the third tier, could attract such crowds as this.
When the Mackems sing “Sunderland ’til I die”, they really mean it.
The noise was something else.
The Wearsiders were all over Wednesday from the off but barely troubled Darren Moore’s side, who sat back and kept it tight
It was a bang-average opening 45 but then, with punters away from their seats to beat the half-time queues, Stewart struck in injury-time.
A punt forward should have been meat and drink for Hutchinson but he made a horrible mess of it.
The Scot ran through on goal, his first effort was saved by Bailey Peacock-Farrell but it fell kindly for him to fire into an empty net.
The hosts then went agonisingly close to doubling their lead six minutes after the break when Alex Pritchard’s peach of an effort from 20 yards struck the bar.
The visitors were rattled as Sunderland went for the kill, with Peacock-Farrell tipping one away moments later before Dennis Cirkin nodded a great chance over the bar.
Patrick Roberts was next, weaving his magic down the right and seeing his goalbound effort blocked.
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Wednesday emerged from the whirlwind no worse off but failed to throw a real punch in anger.
Over to you, Hillsborough.
Black Cats fans packed out the Stadium of LightGetty
