Sunderland 5-0 Tranmere Rovers

Phil Parkinson enjoyed a dream home debut as Sunderland manager as his side cruised to an emphatic 5-0 win over Tranmere Rovers.

Duncan Watmore got the ball rolling midway through the first half, racing on to Will Grigg's through ball before sweeping a low first-time finish into the corner of the net.

Sunderland doubled their lead two minutes later, when Chris Maguire cracked a direct free-kick past a motionless Scott Davies after George Ray hacked down Watmore on the edge of the area.

The third goal arrived six minutes before the interval, when Maguire released Watmore to cross from the right for Lynden Gooch to apply the finishing touch.

Tranmere's best chance came when Stefan Payne headed against the post from a corner at the start of the second half, but Sunderland extended their lead with seven minutes left.

Marc McNulty cut the ball back from the byline after his initial effort had been saved, and Grigg stabbed home from close range.

There was still time for Sunderland to claim a fifth goal in stoppage time, when Luke O'Nien powered home a diving header after Maguire swung over a free-kick from the flank.

Report supplied by PA Media

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Sunderland

• 16Burge
• 13O'Nien
• 4Willis
• 3Lynch
• 33Hume
• 18DobsonBooked at 10mins
• 6Power
• 14WatmoreSubstituted forMcLaughlinat 72'minutes
• 7Maguire
• 11GoochSubstituted forMcNultyat 54'minutes
• 22GriggSubstituted forMbunga-Kimpiokaat 89'minutes

Substitutes

• 1McLaughlin
• 2McLaughlin
• 8McGeouch
• 10McNulty
• 12Flanagan
• 23Leadbitter
• 31Mbunga-Kimpioka

Tranmere

• 1Davies
• 14Caprice
• 5RayBooked at 25mins
• 6Monthe
• 3Ridehalgh
• 7Morris
• 35Danns
• 17Perkins
• 11Jennings
• 45PayneBooked at 40mins
• 9MullinSubstituted forHepburn-Murphyat 74'minutes

Substitutes

• 4Nelson
• 18Hepburn-Murphy
• 22Wilson
• 24Maddox
• 25Pilling
• 29Walker-Rice
• 33Borthwick-Jackson

Referee:

Carl Boyeson

Attendance:

28,551

Match Stats

Home TeamSunderlandAway TeamTranmere

Possession

Home50%

Away50%

Shots

Home17

Away8

Shots on Target

Home6

Away3

Corners

Home3

Away8

Fouls

Home10

Away15

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Sunderland 5, Tranmere Rovers 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Sunderland 5, Tranmere Rovers 0.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Joel Lynch (Sunderland).

Posted at 90'+3'

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Goal!

Posted at 90'

Goal! Sunderland 5, Tranmere Rovers 0. Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Chris Maguire with a cross following a set piece situation.

Posted at 90'

Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Connor Jennings (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 89'

Conor McLaughlin (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Connor Jennings (Tranmere Rovers).

Substitution

Posted at 89'

Substitution, Sunderland. Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka replaces William Grigg.

Posted at 86'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by David Perkins.

Goal!

Posted at 83'

Goal! Sunderland 4, Tranmere Rovers 0. William Grigg (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marc McNulty.

Posted at 83'

Attempt blocked. Marc McNulty (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luke O'Nien.

Posted at 82'

Foul by Jordan Willis (Sunderland).

Posted at 82'

Stefan Payne (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Liam Ridehalgh (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 81'

Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Chris Maguire (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Jake Caprice (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 77'

Foul by Luke O'Nien (Sunderland).

Posted at 77'

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 76'

Attempt blocked. Connor Jennings (Tranmere Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.

Posted at 75'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Connor Jennings.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Tranmere Rovers. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy replaces Paul Mullin.

Substitution

Posted at 72'

Substitution, Sunderland. Conor McLaughlin replaces Duncan Watmore.

Posted at 70'

Attempt blocked. Chris Maguire (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by William Grigg with a headed pass.

Posted at 69'

Attempt blocked. Duncan Watmore (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Posted at 69'

Attempt blocked. Duncan Watmore (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marc McNulty.

Posted at 68'

George Dobson (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Connor Jennings (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 67'

Corner, Tranmere Rovers. Conceded by Luke O'Nien.

Posted at 64'

Jordan Willis (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 64'

Foul by Paul Mullin (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 61'

Attempt missed. Marc McNulty (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Max Power.

Posted at 57'

Attempt saved. Paul Mullin (Tranmere Rovers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Stefan Payne.

Posted at 56'

Attempt saved. Stefan Payne (Tranmere Rovers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Liam Ridehalgh with a cross.

Posted at 55'

Corner, Tranmere Rovers. Conceded by Chris Maguire.

Posted at 55'

Corner, Tranmere Rovers. Conceded by Duncan Watmore.

Substitution

Posted at 54'

Substitution, Sunderland. Marc McNulty replaces Lynden Gooch because of an injury.

Posted at 53'

Attempt saved. William Grigg (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

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