ASHLEY FLETCHER was always confident the goals would come back after signing for Sunderland, and now he wants to repay Chris Coleman’s faith by firing his team to safety.

The Black Cats head into this afternoon’s visit of Sheffield Wednesday to the Stadium of Light knowing Friday’s surprise 4-1 victory at play-off contenders Derby County has given the fight for survival a real lift.

But all the good work will have been undone if they fail to follow it up by claiming back-to-back wins for the first time this season – one of the main reasons they are deep in relegation trouble.

It is hoped that Fletcher, the only recognised striker at the club with at least a healthy experience of first-team football behind him, can now build on his first goal for Sunderland by hitting more.

The 22-year-old had not scored in any of his previous eight appearances and his last goal was for Middlesbrough, the club he left on loan in January, back in September, and his performances have smacked of someone lacking confidence.

But Fletcher said: “It is difficult because you do think like that but I’ve got really good people around me who keep me motivated. I always knew that first goal would come sooner, rather than later, and thankfully there are a lot of games to play.

“To have someone like the manager in your corner, knowing he’s going to put his faith in you, is great. I wanted to come here and play a lot of games so hopefully I can reward him and the fans now by starting to put in some good performances.

“There’s been some tough days but that’s the way football is. It’s probably the stickiest patch I’ve had in my career and I’m still quite young to deal with that. It has been tough but hopefully the good times now are starting to come and I’ve got to continue these performances into the games next week.

“I came because I knew it would be tough. It can go one of two ways – if the goal goes in against Bristol City it’s a different kind of scenario for me. It’s just those fine margins but hopefully the goal can give me confidence. I was buzzing in the dressing room afterwards and the lads could see that.”

Fletcher has taken plenty of stick from both Sunderland and Boro fans this season but he only look at one of his team-mates at the Riverside to see how soon things can turn around.

Patrick Bamford has had a dreadful couple of years but he has suddenly recaptured some fine form in front of goal. He scored again on Friday, against Wolves, which was his ninth goal in his last seven appearances.

Fletcher, hardly given a starting role on Teesside after his £6.5m summer switch from West Ham, said: “I still keep in touch with the Middlesbrough lads as well and Pat hadn’t scored for about three months, then got eight in five games. It just shows one goal can change everything for you. The international break was good for me.

“I was getting criticism and I took it on board.

“I went back to see my family, regroup and think about what I needed to do in the next few games. I think it helped in a way.

“Justifiably I’ve had a bit of stick from our fans. I hold my hands up – performances haven’t been up to my usual standard. Friday’s goal was not so much for them, but for me, but I want to show them what I’m about really.

“The fans keep backing us every week so to have 2,000 there again was fair play to them for travelling and sticking with us. Everyone was buzzing at the end and I haven’t had the feeling we had in the dressing room since I’ve been at the club. Hopefully it can continue.”

Sunderland’s previous four victories under Coleman this season have been followed by three defeats and one draw; the manner of those performances have also been poor and that is something the Sunderland boss needs to address today.

Coleman said: “Correct. That’s right. I remember just after Christmas we beat Nottingham Forest away and then we played Barnsley at home. We were really poor against them, we let them dictate the tempo and the ended up winning from a set-play. 

“I will speak to the players about that, being able to back up the win at Derby. It’s having the courage to back it up. Really, Monday is the last game for us, we have to look at it like that. That sounds drastic, it sounds like I am putting more pressure on it than I need to, but I am not. It is what it is. 

“We have not won back to back games and on Monday we have to put all or nothing into it, treat it like it’s our last game. Let’s see where we end up.”

Ideally Coleman would be able to send out the same team that performed so well at Derby, but he is mindful of the short space of time for his players to rest. In considering the team to face Wednesday he thinks he will have to make a few changes, and he is keeping a close eye on Paddy McNair.

The Northern Ireland international was excellent at Derby to highlight how he has been missed. McNair has only figured ten times for Sunderland this season.

Coleman said: “He played longer than we expected. We will see how he is. You have a chance in this league if you are strong and physical and you can play a little bit, you have a good chance. 

“Paddy is a bit more than that and he can do all of those. When he is in the team, he has the legs to get around the pitch, when he is out of the team it is tough so we will have to see how he recovers.”

He added: "Actually it can be good for us to have a game so soon after. You have to remember though that when you play two games in four days at this stage of the season, fatigue can play a part. 

“That has to come into my thinking in terms of who starts, there is always mistakes in that second game, it’s like at Christmas, we have to make sure our mentality is spot on.  

“We have to make sure we are dogged and solid, without fear again. We played at Derby without fear, it has to be the same on Monday. We have a real opportunity put pressure on teams above us. I won’t talk about points to the players, I will just talk about where we are. We have to do that.”

Another player who will be important during the run-in will be Aiden McGeady if he can perform like he did at Derby. Far too often he has struggled to live up to his billing since arriving from Everton last summer.

Coleman said: “It’s not just Aiden who has lacked consistency. We all have. I should have people knocking on my door saying I should be back in the team, when you get the chance then you have to take it. 

"It should be, when you do get in the team, they make it that I can’t chop and change.

"A lot of changes have been forced because of injuries and suspensions, but a lack of form too. These guys have got a chance now, I need them all to perform so that I can’t leave them out of the team. That’s what we need between now and the end of the season."

One player who will not play a part in Sunderland’s fight for survival is Irish midfielder Darron Gibson.

It was confirmed on Saturday morning that Gibson has left the club by mutual consent. Gibson had been suspended after he was charged with drink driving.

The midfielder was arrested following a multi-car accident in Fulwell, Sunderland, on the morning of the Black Cats' Championship game with Preston.

Gibson was not due to be involved in the game as he been struggling with injury, but he was due to attend the match with the rest of the club's injured players.

His Sunderland contract was due to expire at the end of the current campaign. The 30-year-old leaves having made 30 senior appearances for Sunderland.