Stoke City 1-0 Sunderland: Tom Cannon scores last-minute winner for managerless Potters

Tom Cannon's stoppage-time goal ended struggling Stoke's long wait for a win in the Sky Bet Championship as they snatched a 1-0 victory over promotion-chasing Sunderland.

The Potters were under the caretaker charge of Ryan Shawcross after sacking Narcis Pelach on Friday, and the club great wildly celebrated what was Stoke's first win in 10 games.

It lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone and it came following a superb performance in goal by Viktor Johansson, who produced a series of fine saves to thwart the visitors.

Stoke had the game's first big chance in the 11th minute when Bae Junho played the ball through for Cannon, with Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson saving before Luke O'Nien cleared the danger.

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Another good chance for Cannon followed when he did well to get away from Chris Mepham, but a heavy touch allowed Patterson to beat the Leicester loanee to the ball.

Sunderland almost caught the home side on the break after 29 minutes when Milan Aleksic galloped towards the area before his shot was kept out by Johansson.

The visitors were growing as a threat and Johansson was soon called into action again when he had to beat away Adil Aouchiche's powerful effort from outside the box.

The Sweden international, who was captaining the Potters, then came to their rescue again in the 34th minute when he touched Wilson Isidor's shot onto the post.

Sunderland were now piling on the pressure and were denied by Johansson yet again when a piledriver from Dan Neil was brilliantly tipped away.

His heroics kept the game goalless at half-time and it was his opposite number's turn to impress again in the 62nd minute when Patterson stood strong in beating away a shot by Lewis Koumas, who had ran on to Cannon's knock-down.

Back came Sunderland, who were almost handed the lead when Aouchiche's low cross was deflected on to the outside of his own post by Stoke centre-back Ashley Phillips.

Eliezer Mayenda then should have put the Black Cats ahead in thew 73rd minute when Aouchiche's cross found him unmarked six yards out, but the Spaniard put his header well wide.

Johansson was not kept as busy as he was in the first half, but he was required to make another important save as he kept out a shot from Aouchiche at his near post with seven minutes remaining.

Just when it looked as though the two teams would be settling for a point each, Cannon won it for Stoke at the death when he battled for possession before firing into the bottom corner from just outside the area.

The managers

Stoke's caretaker manager Ryan Shawcross:

"I wanted us to press, I wanted us to get after the ball and I knew if we got it slightly wrong, they would cut through us, which they did because they're a really good team.

"But I just felt them opportunities, like we did in the first 20 [minutes] with Cannon, I think Lewis [Koumas] had a chance, I understood the risk, but I've always been someone who would rather risk a win that just be boring.

"That was the plan and to be fair to the lads, with the day or so we've had, they were really receptive to what I asked and they executed it, for the majority, really well.

"The fans have always been great to me and when you give them something to look on and understand what you're trying to do, they get behind you."

Sunderland's Regis Le Bris:

"I think after they had a very good moment at the beginning of the second half, when we managed this part properly, we created many chances.

"At the end of the game, I think we had 22 shots - two against the post, three big saves - so this part of the pitch is still the most difficult to deal with.

"With many defenders, you have to be very accurate to finish and this afternoon we were not that clinical. So at the end it was still possible for the opponent to score a goal at the end and they did, so it was good for their fans.

"We showed the intensity, we had a lot of fight, but it wasn't enough today.

"Obviously, we are still a young team with many elements to develop and to improve, and probably when we have a long sequence [of games] we can switch off a little bit."

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