Sunderland target automatics after closing gap on Portsmouth… Luton stay top despite not being at their best

The Black Cats clinched a hard-earned 1-0 win against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday to keep up their Championship charge. 

Aiden McGeady’s 67th-minute strike meant Sunderland moved up to fourth.

They now sit two points and one place behind Pompey with two games in hand.

Kenny Jackett’s side’s slipped out of the top two following their 1-1 draw against play-off hopefuls Doncaster at Fratton Park. 

Ross’ men can usurp Luton from the top of the table if they win their three games in hand they hold over the Hatters – albeit they have an 11-goal margin to make up. 

The promotion race is certainly heating up and the Black Cats manager hailed his side’s gritty display against the bottom side.  

Ross told the Newcastle Chronicle: ‘I’m delighted with the win.

‘We didn’t play brilliantly – it was hard, a tough game, but we won it and it is very much about that at this time in the season.

‘Where we are, the games we have to catch up on, there will be a lot of them like this over the next two or three months.

‘Any time you achieve success as a club, win a title or promotion, people forget about these games but there are loads of them in and amongst the season.

‘It could have been a lot better but ultimately we kept a clean sheet, scored a good goal, and won the game.

‘Luton have been terrific but the reality is that if we win our games in hand, we will have the same points total.

‘I look at points-per-game and we have got the second best record in the league, so that is something we need to be aware of and remind ourselves of at times as a club, knowing that if we keep on track with that we will be there or thereabouts.’

Meanwhile, Mick Harford admitted Luton weren’t at their best despite defeating Shrewsbury 3-0.

After netting a double in the Hatters’ 3-2 win over Pompey on Tuesday, James Collins again struck twice against the Shrews.

‘I thought it was a real, real professional performance on the back of a really hard January,’ Harford told Luton Today.

‘We didn’t play at our best, they made it very difficult for us, they matched our shape, the pitch wasn’t in the best condition, but overall I thought it was a real professional performance from the players.

‘They were excellent today in terms of second balls, winning their headers, and I think when the game settled down and we scored that second goal, we were in total control and thoroughly deserved to win the game.’