Football: Sunderland 4 - 1 Rochdale

A devastating eight minute spell at the end of the first half saw Sunderland comfortably overcome a Rochdale side that more than held their own for the first thirty minutes.

Aaron Wilbraham blazed a shot over the bar when he should have done better and that miss proved crucial asSunderland took the lead 15 minutes later.

Josh Maja headed in a Chris Maguire cross for the opener whilst just three minutes later, a silly challenge from Olly Rathbone saw Lynden Gooch sprawled to the ground with the American dusting himself down to convert the resultant penalty.

Maja scored his second in first half stoppage time for Sunderland’s third with a clinical finish from inside the box after good work from full back Denver Hume.

Gooch got his second of the game midway through the second half with a shot from outside of the area.

Dale substitute Matty Done got a consolation with twenty minutes left but Rochdale never looked like staging a comeback after the opening 45 minutes.

Unchanged from the side that beat Gillingham last Saturday, Rochdale settled into the game at the impressive Stadium of Light in front of nearly 30,000 spectators.

The first real chance of the game fell to the visitors when Ian Henderson coolly played in Wilbraham but the former Bolton man fluffed his lines from 18 yards out.

From then on Sunderland took control with a clinical eight minute burst. Chris Maguire got away from Callum Camps far too easily on the Sunderland left with his cross perfect for Maja who headed past Josh Lillis.

Sunderland’s second came soon after when Rathbone’s sliding challenge brought down Gooch inside the area. A good bit of build up play stretched the Dale back line and as Rathbone raced back to cover, he went to ground bringing him down for a penalty. Lillis guessed the correct way but the power on Gooch’ strike was too much and it nestled into the corner.

Sam Hart saw a powerful free-kick beaten away by McLaughlin as Dale looked to respond but almost immediately after, Sunderland took an unassailable lead into the half time break. As Hume broke down the left his low cross was picked up by Maja and when the 19-year-old turned he had a free shot at goal which he duly took.

Rochdale started the second half well with Sunderland goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin having to be at his very best to keep Dale out. Firstly, he stopped a Calvin Andrew shot with an outstretched foot and when the ball came back into the danger area, Ian Henderson was left frustrated when McLaughlin acrobatically kept out the captain's goal-bound header.

Dale’s lively start to the second period was soon quashed as Sunderland scored their fourth. Maguire's long cross field pass found Gooch who skipped past Delaney before firing into the corner of the goal.

Matty Done got a consolation for Dale after tenacious play from fellow substitute Jordan Williams. Williams, who looked sharp after his four goals against Oldham in a the midweek 7-0 demolition of Oldham Athletic in the Lancashire Senior Cup, picked the pocket of Jack Baldwin before unselfishly finding Done who took the ball past McLaughlin.

Josh Lillis had to be alert right to the end to tip Brian Oviedo’s thunderous shot over the bar.

Sunderland: McLaughlin, Flanagan, Loovens, Baldwin, Hume, Cattermole, McGeouch, Honeyman ©, Gooch (Oviedo 88), Maguire (McGeady 73), Maja (Sinclair 82)
Subs: (not used) Ruiter, Matthews, O’Nien, James

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, McGahey, Delaney, Hart, Camps, Rathbone (Adshead 63), Henderson ©, Wilbraham (Done 63), Gillam (Williams 54), Andrew
Subs: (not used) Moore, McNulty, Perkins, Matheson

Referee: Mr T Kettle
Assistants: Mr G Liddle and Mr S Clayton
Fourth Official: Mr D Avent

Attendance: 28,764 (1,252 from Rochdale)