Ballard’s 122nd-minute goal shatters Coventry and puts Sunderland in playoff final

When Régis Le Bris first took charge of Sunderland last summer the Frenchman was such an unknown quantity that it took a good couple of weeks before fellow guests in his hotel began realising who he was.

Ten months later the lowest of low‑key managerial appointments is one game away from the Premier League after Dan Ballard’s headed goal from Enzo Le Fée’s corner at the very end of extra time sparked the most joyous of pitch invasions.

In levelling the scores on the night it offered Sunderland an aggregate victory in a playoff semi‑final they would surely have lost had Frank Lampard’s impressive Coventry managed to turn possession into goals.

Instead Le Bris changed an initially misfiring tactical plan just in time to book a Wembley date with Sheffield United on Saturday week.

“We were probably too nervous in the first part of the game,” Le Bris said. “In extra time, we were better, we played our football. It’s a semi‑final at home, a goal up – I think we were caught between two attitudes. Once they scored, then we felt we had to score.

“We had a list [of penalty takers] but the corner kick was fantastic for Ballard. They deserve it, and now we have a fantastic final to play. [Ballard] is a strong man at the back, really important for us. Tonight, we’ll enjoy it and switch on for the final very soon.”

Le Bris is not a manager to neglect homework and, sure enough, his Coventry studies prompted the decision to shift the Stadium of Light’s perimeter advertising hoardings forward, moving them two metres closer to the pitch. The idea was to reduce the threat posed by Milan van Ewijk from long throws, by restricting the right-back’s room for manoeuvre – and it duly did.

Add in reports that, at the end of an unusually warm May day on Wearside, the remote‑controlled heating in the away dressing room had been turned up to the maximum temperature and it was quite the welcome for Lampard’s players. As if that was not sufficient Coventry emerged from the tunnel to be greeted by a giant Sunderland fans’ banner depicting a black cat with terrifying claws, sharply bared teeth and chillingly ferocious eyes.

View image in fullscreen Ephron Mason-Clark scores for Coventry to force extra time. Photograph: Steve Welsh/PA

Le Bris’s Black Cats may not have been quite that formidable in the first leg but they left the Midlands holding a precious 2-1 lead. Le Bris stuck to the 4-4-2 formation that had ruined Lampard’s night here but, although the former Lorient manager and long serving youth coach had suggested that, rather than repeat last Friday’s low block, his team would be “proactive” and in front foot, high pressing mode, this version was self destructively cautious.

Yet if Lampard’s much admired attacking midfielder Jack Rudoni always looked capable of hurting his hosts, Sunderland could not be underestimated on the break. Tellingly, Coventry’s centre-halves at times struggled in the face of Eliezer Mayenda’s quick, clever feet and, midway through the first half, Ben Wilson, the Sunderland academy graduate turned Coventry goalkeeper, saved smartly from Wilson Isidor’s young attacking partner.

Such cameos apart, though, Le Bris’s players looked in increasing peril of falling into the trap of retreating too deep and inviting the sort of pressure that eventually tends to prompt defensive mistakes. Not to mention silencing a previously raucous full house at the Stadium of Light.

Tellingly Rudoni might have levelled the aggregate scores but his shot flew off target as he collided with the home goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, after arriving late, and Lampard-esque, into the box.

Coventry have scored more goals from crosses and more headers than any other side in the EFL or Premier League this season and, as the interval beckoned, it was no surprise when Rudoni went close with a header from Jay Dasilva’s cross.

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As the second half unfolded only a series of stalwart clearances from the indomitable Ballard prevented a visiting goal and a blizzard of Coventry crosses and corners offered Lampard hope.

Although Wilson needed to save acrobatically to keep Trai Hume’s volley out, it was realised when Van Ewijk overlapped down the right before crossing superbly for Ephron Mason-Clark to toe-poke the ball into the back of the net.

As an eerie silence descended on the stadium and Wembley felt that little bit further away from the north east, Le Bris replaced Isidor with the 17-year-old Chris Rigg. As Sunderland’s manager paced the technical area nervously, locals were tempted to watch Coventry continue to dominate through their fingers.

Le Bris’s circumspect gameplan had failed and now he introduced the recently hamstrung winger Romaine Mundle from the bench, moved Le Fée into his preferred central role and a suddenly fluent Sunderland improved immeasurably. That tactical reshuffle may have been belated but it emphasised that the Breton’s days of anonymity are well and truly over.

It took a fantastic block from Josh Eccles to keep a Mundle shot out before Le Fée’s execution and Ballard’s six-yard header off the underside of the bar, left Lampard looking as devastated as he ever did after assorted disappointments at major tournaments in an England shirt.

“Congratulations to Sunderland, but I’m so proud of my players,” Lampard said. “I think we dominated at home, dominated large spells of this game tonight … from 17th in the league, how far this team has come, competing with the top teams in this division.

“We’re not bitter, but we were the better team over the two matches. I’m so disappointed for the players, the fans, the club … but I can’t be disappointed with the performance tonight. We took control, but in extra time it became more of a coin-toss. We were getting ready for penalties … it’s cruel, but we have to take pride in how we played.”

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