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Sunderland’s play-off semi-final second leg delivered drama until the very last minute, as the Black Cats booked their ticket to Wembley.
After Sunderland beat Coventry City 2-1 in the first leg, Regis Le Bris knew that avoiding defeat in the second was enough to reach the Championship play-off final.
However, the Sky Blues fought back as a strike from Ephron Mason-Clark drew the scores level in the 76th minute, sending the game to extra time.
That was when Sunderland took control of the contest, and with penalties looming, an incredible Dan Ballard 120th-minute header clattered off the underside of the bar and nestled into the net.
Ballard became a hero across the city in that moment, with the Black Cats booking their place at Wembley, but their passage was never plain sailing.
- READ MORE: Frank Lampard struggles to hold back emotions after Coventry City’s heartbreaking play-off defeat
Michael Bridges says ‘nervy’ Stadium of Light atmosphere impacted Sunderland
For most of normal time, Sunderland played on the counter-attack, sitting back in their shape and soaking up pressure from Frank Lampard’s men.
Le Bris felt his players were ‘nervous’ in the early stages of the contest as the magnitude of the fixture sunk in, and former player Michael Bridges surprisingly passed some of the blame onto the fans.
He felt the ‘nervy atmosphere’ inside the Stadium of Light was transferred onto the pitch, as the players struggled to gain a foothold in the match early on.
Speaking after full-time ahead of extra-time on Sky Sports, he was asked: “Do they look confident? Sunderland, to you?”
Bridges replied: “No, they look very nervous and I think the fans have added to that as well, you can sense around the ground that there is a nervy atmosphere and I think it’s affecting the players at this moment in time.”
- READ MORE: Sunderland are already a Premier League football club, Coventry City play-off clash proved it
The Stadium of Light was louder than it has ever been when Dan Ballard scored
Supporters knew how big this game was, and although Sunderland had never lost a home play-off game, you could cut the tension around the stadium with a knife.
Once Mason-Clark levelled the scores, too, those nerves were amplified even more, and if Haji Wright didn’t squander a golden chance before full-time, it could have been them celebrating another Wembley trip.
However, Le Bris’ team talk ahead of extra-time clearly worked wonders, as Sunderland came flying out of the blocks and looked the most likely to score a winner.
That, of course, happened when Ballard’s header crashed in off the underside of the cross bar, sending over 40,000 Sunderland fans into pandemonium and creating the loudest noise the Stadium of Light has ever heard, according to some.
It was an incredibly special moment, and one that will live long in the memory of Sunderland supporters, as they hope that goal can inspire victory over Sheffield United on May 24.