Sunderland were far from their best away to Luton Town. Fortunately, Regis Le Bris has a couple of players at his disposal capable of producing match-winning moments at the drop of the hat.
The Black Cats managed only eight shots to Luton’s 19. They had just 43 per cent of the possession against a Hatters side who are hardly renowned for dictating the tempo.
No wonder Luton boss Rob Edwards was left rueing what might have been as Sunderland claimed an impressive away win at Kenilworth Road. His underperforming team failing to build on any momentum they might have gained following the 3-0 derby win over Watford last time out.
As for Sunderland, the gap between themselves in top spot and Burnley in second now stands at three points. The Clarets were held to a 1-1 draw in midweek by a Hull side Sunderland defeated on Sunday afternoon thanks to Wilson Isidor’s stunning solo effort.
Three days later, it was the turn of Chris Rigg and Romaine Mundle to showcase their game-breaking talents while producing something very special out of very little.
Chris Rigg and Romaine Mundle praised by Luton boss Rob Edwards
Rigg scored his third of the season from midfield. Holding off a couple of Luton players while jinking into the box and sliding home just before the hour.
Ten minutes later, immediately after Elijah Adebayo had levelled for Luton, Mundle cut inside and curled a stunning shot into the far corner.
Jack Clarke would have been proud.
“We know we can do better in those two moments for their goals,” Edwards sighed at full-time. “Mundle’s one was particularly frustrating as we’d done a lot of work on the wide players. He’s jinked inside too easily and it was a good finish from him.
“What we’ve got to go and do now is brush up on a few moments where we got punished. Rigg and Mundle, a couple of outstanding individual efforts.
“But we can do better to stop that and continue to do what we’re doing at the moment.”
Mundle justifies Regis Le Bris’ faith with Kenilworth Road stunner
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris mused swapping Mundle and Patrick Roberts around in his pre-match presser after both players struggled to influence proceedings against Hull.
Instead, the Frenchman opted to drop Roberts in favour of Alan Browne, while keeping Mundle wide on the right. As the winger shifted the ball onto his trusty right foot and breezed past veteran Victor Moses, it was a decision emphatically justified.
“I feel really, really disappointed,” Edwards adds, Luton now a staggering 14 points adrift of the Wearsiders. “Credit to Sunderland, they have come away from home and won the game.
“They’re top of the league for a reason and they found a way. But, for me and us, bitterly disappointed.
“I just thought we dominated the game almost from start to finish. I thought the first half was almost entirely in their half, their territory. The way we pressed, they couldn’t really find a way out. That’s where now though, we’ve got to be more ruthless and try and find a way and be more clinical.
“Whether it’s a cross, whether it’s a decision, a pass, we’ve got to find that extra bit, but we didn’t do too much wrong tonight. We did a lot right.”