Beale blast fires up timid Black Cats

AHALF-TIME rollocking sparked a dramatic Sunderland improvement as they came from behind to beat Plymouth and climb into the top six.

- Jack James

Michael Beale’s side trailed at the break after Ryan Hardie’s opener for Plymouth, but Sunderland were transformed after the restart and extended their unbeaten Championship stretch to three games with three “special” goals from Pierre Ekwah, Jack Clarke and substitute Jobe Bellingham.

“We only played in one half, to be honest,” said Beale. “We had honest words at halftime, got out there early and I thought from the moment we kicked off, we were much better.

“We scored three excellent goals and we’re mixing around the goalscorers now as well. It was three special goals.”

Buoyed by their impressive recent form and their first away win of the season at Swansea, Plymouth settled well and created the only meaningful chance in the early stages when Hardie forced a good save out of Anthony Patterson.