On this day in 2018, Sunderland secured a hard-fought away victory at AFC Wimbledon. Following relegation to the third tier for only the second time in their history, this was game week five of the League One season. Sunderland had started the campaign brightly, and this victory ensured we maintained our unbeaten start to the season under manager Jack Ross.
Things didn’t get off to a great start at the Kingsmeadow Stadium, as Joe Pigott put the hosts ahead in the ninth minute with a smart finish.
It was a first half in which AFC Wimbledon were unlucky not to be further ahead, having outmuscled us and restricted Sunderland to very few chances. Goalkeeper Tom King had very little to do, while Liam Trotter had been busy, firing over the bar from the edge of the box.
The second half was a different story, and Sunderland were a lot busier going forward. Midway through the half, Lynden Gooch crossed from the right and, after a deflection off defender Will Nightingale, Lee Cattermole slotted home to level the match. Coincidentally, Gooch had made his debut on this day three years earlier, in 2015, in a 6-3 League Cup victory at home to Exeter.
Cattermole claimed his second of the game with seven minutes to go to secure the three points and leave Sunderland in fourth spot. A first-time volley from a Chris Maguire cross sealed the victory, and things were looking rosy for a quick return to the Championship.
Peterborough were top, having won all five of their opening games, but it was Luton Town who won the league, with Posh falling out of the reckoning altogether. Sunderland would go on to finish in fifth, losing 2-1 in the play-off final to Charlton Athletic, who had finished third.
