Fourth season in League One looming for Sunderland as Lincoln City hold two goal advantage

Sunderland have a mountain to climb at the Stadium of Light if they are to avoid a fourth straight season in League One, after losing 2-0 to Lincoln City in the first leg on Wednesday night.

Both the Black Cats and the Imps finished the regular season with impressive away records but with home records that were poor in comparison, which would have left many expecting Lee Johnson’s side to take an advantage into the second leg, but it was hosts Lincoln who shone at the LNER Stadium.

Form often goes out of the window in the play-offs, which may play into Sunderland’s hands, but they appear to have carried their end of season form into the play-offs with them. In the Wearsiders’ case, that is not a good thing.

After drawing 1-1 with Peterborough United on April 5 Sunderland sat in third place, five points off leaders Hull City with two games in hand, which could have seen them go top of the league. Their fate was in their own hands.

But the Black Cats picked up just six points from their final eight games, losing four, drawing three and winning just once, away at Plymouth Argyle who had a collapse of their own as the season drew to a close.

Sunderland were 14 games unbeaten in all competitions after the Peterborough match, with 11 wins – one of which came on penalties, had they managed to extend the run for another eight games they would have been promoted, and probably would have pipped Hull to the title.

As it was, Sunderland came into the play-offs in poor form against a Lincoln side who had stabilised themselves after their own poor run of results, which saw them slip out of the automatic promotion chase earlier in the season.

On that basis, instead of just looking at home form and away form, the game panned out as you might have expected.

Johnson’s side had numerous chances to score on the day but were thwarted in every attempt, while Michael Appleton’s side managed to capitalise on sloppy defending on two occasions to put themselves in a very strong position.

Tom Hopper and Brennan Johnson got themselves on the scoresheet with goals that both could have been avoided, had Tom Flanagan first cleared a cross, which he left, and then not passed back to Lee Burge putting him under pressure before being charged down.

Sunderland cannot afford any more individual errors in the second leg, Lincoln have shown both on Wednesday night and throughout the season that they can, and will, punish teams in those positions.

The Imps have one foot in the play-off final already. Michael Appleton will be looking for more of the same from his side as they look to confirm their spot to face Blackpool under the arch.

In the first leg Appleton named a very attacking line up with Hopper, Johnson, Anthony Scully, Morgan Rogers and Jorge Grant all starting. This worked in their favour on the night, but whether the former Oxford United manager will stick with the attacking set-up, or opt to play a more defensive-minded team to try and see out the tie, remains to be seen.

An early Lincoln goal could kill the game off, while an early Sunderland goal would bring a completely different look to the game. 2-0 is often called the most dangerous scoreline in football, and if Sunderland can score and have momentum, with 10,000 fans roaring them on, the tie will be back on.

The return of supporters could make a big difference for Sunderland. While nowhere near the 49,000 capacity of the stadium, it will be a very different atmosphere to those they have become accustomed to this season.

The Imps will hope the scoreline will make it a more subdued atmosphere than it may otherwise have been, but at 2-0 Sunderland are not out of the tie yet, and Lincoln may well need another goal if they are to achieve this.

Sunderland have not won at home since a 3-1 victory against Oxford United at the start of April. That was only the fourth time they’ve won by at least a two-goal margin in the league at the Stadium of Light this season. On Saturday, a two-goal margin would only be enough to take the game to extra time.

There has been just one occasion where the Black Cats have managed to win by a higher margin at home this season, a 4-1 win over Doncaster Rovers in February where Charlie Wyke scored four goals, all assisted by Aiden McGeady.

If the pair can replicate their form from that day then Sunderland could be making a fourth trip to Wembley in three seasons, but with Lewis Montsma and TJ Eyoma Lincoln should be well equipped to deal with balls into the box.

A fourth successive season in League One would have been unthinkable for many Sunderland fans when they were relegated to the division in 2017/18.

Success in this division is not just expected, it is demanded. As it probably should be for a club the size of Sunderland with the resources they have available in comparison to the rest of the division.

The reaction manager Lee Johnson receives will be interesting to see in his first game with Sunderland supporters in attendance, should the Black Cats fail to turn around the deficit it is not likely to be too favourable.

This season offered a great opportunity to get promoted. Wigan Athletic and Charlton Athletic were both relegated with off field issues while Hull City have had problems themselves in previous seasons. There were strong teams in the division, but the opportunity to get out of it was huge.

Next season looks to be a very different challenge, with Wycombe Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham United relegated from the Championship, all of whom would be expected to fight for promotion.

To avoid that worry, Sunderland or Lincoln City will need to make it to Wembley, and then make it past a confident looking Blackpool side. Either side could do it, although Lincoln are very much in the driving seat at the halfway mark.

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