SUNDERLAND manager Jack Ross is banking on his two newest signings to make their mark at the Stadium of Light.

Jack Baldwin and Max Power made their Black Cat debuts in the 1-1 draw at Luton, with both putting in promising displays.

Baldwin, a 25-year old centre-back who has previously played for Hartlepool, was on the bench against Charlton, while Power signed on loan last week, with a view to a permanent deal.

Sunderland were pegged back after Josh Maja slotted home just before the break, with Matty Pearson equalising in the second half.

Ross hinted that there could be a further addition to the squad before Sunderland return to Championship duty against Scunthorpe on Sunday, but was quick to praise the new boys.

“I thought both were really good, I mentioned Jack and every day this week he’s trained better,” he said.

“Max is a really good player in this league, no doubt. He’s a really good professional and he’s integrated himself in the group very quickly and very well.

“He’ll be an asset to us moving forward, because he’s got a versatility in his play, he’s an all-rounder in the middle of the pitch.

“Hopefully, we’ll get a striker in for Thursday (when Sunderland take on Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup) because that will help us as well. We’ve got an important league game on Sunday as well, and we can’t afford anything to happen to the ones we’ve got.”

Maja added to his strike last week against Charlton, and Ross was impressed at how the nineteen-year-old has dealt with his current lone striker role.

“He’s as good a finisher as I’ve ever worked with at that age. He’s got really good quality in and around the box, he’s just got to work on his mind-set to believe how good he is when he gets his opportunities,” he added.

“You can see how confident he feels when he gets that opportunity. And there’s a lot of responsibility on his shoulders because he’s the only recognised striker we have, and even then he’s still got a lot to learn.

“We’re asking a lot of him and he’s responded in a good way as well, two goals in two games.”

There was a true sense of anticipation outside Kenilworth Road before the first visit since 2007, when Sunderland were defeated 3-0 in the League Cup.

Fans would best remember the trip just three months earlier, when a five-goal victory secured the Championship title under Roy Keane.

Luton were playing in the third tier for the first time since 2008, after a decade which saw them relegated to non-league after an infamous 30-point deduction for financial irregularities.

Perhaps because of their fall from grace, and their subsequent return, the hosts were more motivated and lively from kick-off. They took the early initiative but for all their effort, their only shot was Alan McCormack blasting well over on eight minutes

The first half-chance for the visitors fell on ten minutes, when Glenn Loovens failed to get proper contact to a Chris Maguire corner.

Sunderland were still coming to terms with their opponents giving them little time and space, although Lynden Gooch was able to fire from outside the box just before the half-hour mark. However, his effort was off target and failed to trouble home keeper Marek Stech.

Having weathered the early Luton storm, the visitors were starting to come into the game more, and were able to put together a couple of passing moves.

Even so, the breakthrough just before the break appeared to come slightly out of the blue. Gooch was able to feed through Maja on the right-hand side of the area, and the youngster aimed his effort across Stech and into the bottom corner.

Despite the half-time lead, Sunderland would have to be careful against a home side that remained dangerous.

Luton were on the front foot after the restart, leaving Ross to replace the tiring Bali Mumba with the returning Lee Cattermole on 54 minutes.

The switch seemed to give more of an impetus to the Black Cats, who were forcing a number of corners and other set-pieces. However, none were able to give the second goal that would have likely killed the game.

The one-goal advantage was wiped out on 68 minutes, when lax defending from a corner allowed Pearson to fire home past Jon McLaughlin.

Sunderland nearly restored the advantage three minutes later, when the returning Bryan Oviedo crossed in low for Chris Maguire – only for this shot to agonisingly hit the bar and bounce away.

A further goal would have probably sealed the win for whoever scored it, and Cattermole put a Maguire free kick wide of the target on 75 minutes.

Danny Hylton almost won it for the hosts a minute later, but his free header was put wide of McLaughlin.