Mowbray’s roll of the dice was key for Hatters draw

SOMETIMES the outcome of a game can hinge on a single big decision. Referee Scott Oldham’s call – on the advice of his linesman – to award Sunderland a late penalty against play-off contenders Luton Town for what looked like the slightest tug on Amad’s arm by defender Amari Bell certainly fits that narrative.

It allowed Amad to step up and convert from the spot five minutes from time to rescue a point at the Stadium of Light. But perhaps boiling it down to that one moment is too simplistic.

There was another decision, arguably just as important if not as obvious as the penalty call, taken ten minutes or so earlier that had changed the dynamics of the game.

That was Tony Mowbray’s bold decision with a little under 20 minutes remaining to make a quadruple substitution and change formation to 3-5-2 in an attempt to disrupt the pattern of a game that looked to be running away from Sunderland.

The first half had been nothing to write home about, with Dan Neil coming closest to scoring when he hit the post from the edge of the box with goalkeeper Ethan Horvath rooted to the spot.

But just after half-time, the Black Cats fell behind when Alfie Doughty picked up the ball from a short freekick and his shot flew through a crowded penalty area and past the unsighted Anthony Patterson.

Sunderland had responded well with Luke O’Nien bringing a save out of Ethan Horvath, while the low-onconfidence Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt fired another presentable chance wide as his struggles in front of goal continue.

Amad had already entered the action, making his comeback as a substitute after missing the last two games with a hamstring issue, just after Doughty’s goal, but on 72 minutes Mowbray sent on Alex Pritchard, Lynden Gooch, Jewison Bennette, and Pierre Ekwah.

Immediately, Sunderland showed more energy and drive with Bennette causing problems whenever he ran at defenders, while Pritchard’s experience and nous helped the Black Cats push Luton back. Then came the penalty, as Pritchard’s pass into the box looking for the run of Amad saw the Ivory Coast international draw the foul.

Luton boss Rob Edwards felt the officials got it wrong, and it was certainly a harsh decision, but given the sheer number of refereeing clangers that have cost Sunderland this season – not least Sheffield United’s offside winner in the previous game – it was about time a marginal call went their way. One thing on which both managers were agreed was that Sunderland deserved something from the game.

The draw will do little to help Sunderland’s chances of muscling in on the play-off picture, although it did lift them one place to 11th and shave the gap between themselves and sixth place to seven points.

They go into the international break having won just one of their last seven games but it could have been worse: had Luton held out, all the talk would have been of five defeats in six.

Nevertheless, Sunderland can reflect on having picked up four points from three games against play-off hopefuls Norwich City, second-placed Sheffield United, and fourth-placed Luton – and had it not been for the Blades’ offside goal, they might have been unbeaten in that sequence.

They are in the top half of the table with eight games remaining and are still in the play-off picture, if only on the fringes.

There are plenty of sides struggling in the lower reaches who would gladly exchange places with them.