League One play-offs 2022: Sunderland face a weekend of nerves after missing chance to kill off Sheff Weds

Sunderland 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday (Stewart 45+1)

STADIUM OF LIGHT – If this is the start of Sunderland’s long road back, they will need to shake off a few play-off demons along the way.

Six times the Black Cats have entered the end of season lottery and every time they have suffered the sort of heartache that endures. No one on Wearside needs to be reminded that in two of the last three League One campaigns, their season has ground to a halt in devastating play-off defeats.

That is why a largely dominant win over Sheffield Wednesday in front of the largest crowd ever to witness a play-off semi-final comes with a side order of uncertainty for Sunderland. Hillsborough’s second leg on Monday night is certain to be a tense occasion for a team that should have put the tie to bed on a frenetic Friday.

That they played as well as they have done in weeks will give Alex Neil’s charges reason to believe in South Yorkshire, but this still felt like an opportunity wasted. It would be no exaggeration to say they could have travelled with a three or four goal advantage to show for a performance that threatened to sweep the visitors out of the tie at times.

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In the end, both teams will probably feel satisfied with an outcome that leaves the tie finely balanced. The Black Cats exhibited their class while Darren Moore’s Owls fell back on their staying power to stay in the game.

This was their 14th game unbeaten but Sunderland have been largely functional under the astute tutelage of Neil. Here the shackles were removed in front of a home crowd who heeded the club’s request to turn up early to build a partisan atmosphere.

We have witnessed some remarkable crucibles over the last week, from the magic of Real Madrid to Ibrox’s bear pit. But how many countries would be able to boast 44,742 streaming through the turnstiles for a third-tier game?

The atmosphere matched the importance of the game and Sunderland fed off it. For much of the contest a red and white tide threatened to engulf Sheffield Wednesday as the Black Cats carved open the hesitant visitors.

Ross Stewart gave Sunderland a precious advantage in front of the EFL’s largest ever play-off semi-final crowd (Pic: PA)

Eventually the breakthrough arrived as Ross Stewart preyed on the uncertainty of Sam Hutchison to open the scoring moments before the half-time whistle.

It should have heralded the opening of the floodgates but the home side were profligate. Alex Pritchard sent a shot bouncing off the crossbar. Two minutes later, the same player saw Bailey Peacock-Farrell tip his effort over the bar.

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Tension, unsurprisingly, grew as the chances were spurned and by the end it was the visitors who carried marginally more threat. Marvin Johnson’s dipping cross nearly caught out Anthony Patterson in what would have been a devastating blow for the home side.

For all that, Sunderland should extended their lead when Stewart pounced on more defensive uncertainty, only to send a fizzing drive wide of the upright. They will hope they don’t have cause to regret those moments when the tie reaches its crescendo next week.

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