Jack Ross praises Sunderland’s mentality after hard-fought Doncaster win

Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by PA

Jack Ross believes Sunderland are winning the mental battle as they aim for an immediate return to the Championship by claiming the League One title.

The Black Cats dropped into the third tier following back-to-back relegations but Ross is seeing positive signs from the team he took over in the summer.

Tuesday’s 1-0 win at Doncaster courtesy of Chris Maguire’s goal was Sunderland’s third in a row and left them just a point off the top two with a game in hand.

Ross feels his side have quickly adjusted to being the league’s biggest scalp.

“We spoke in pre-season about making winning League One the most important thing you can do in your career,” he said.

“I hope players go on to do more than that in the future but here and now that has to be the case.

“There’s a group of players that are enjoying winning and the challenges they’re facing.

“It’s a happy group in there and they’re absolutely loving that feeling of winning games, and having to win it in that manner. It was tough.

“I think you could see from the reaction from everybody involved at the club – supporters as well – how much they enjoyed that type of win.

“The squad now properly understands the challenges of this league and what it takes to be successful in it. That’s encouraging.”

Ross reserved special praise for goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin – a summer arrival from Hearts – who came up with two important one-on-one saves in first-half stoppage time.

“He’s been very good since he came to the club,” said Ross.

“He’s so low maintenance for a manager because of his reliability in training and games. Jonny will say those saves are part of his job.

“He stands up in the big moments and that’s why we were so keen to bring him to the club.”

Rovers boss Grant McCann claimed Sunderland “should be running away with League One” ahead of the game and he was encouraged with the way his team matched their big-spending rivals.

“My message to the boys after the game was that it would be easy for me to say that’s the difference between a top team and a team trying to be a top team,” said McCann, whose side slipped out of the top six following a third home match without a win.

“But what I will say is I feel as though we are as good as them. I think the game showed that.

“The difference was that they took a chance and we didn’t.

“That is the difference sometimes in a tight game, between two teams that are trying to do the same thing which is to get out of this league.

“I am proud of the boys tonight. We matched the biggest club in this league for the whole game.”