THIS felt important, again. Even if there are still 34 games remaining in the battle for promotion in League One, a trip to one of the teams struggling at the wrong end of the table felt by the end as if more was riding on it.

After seven long, extra minutes on top of the normal 90 at Valley Parade, the celebrations between the 3,000 travelling fans and the Sunderland players who had just edged to a 2-1 victory was reminiscent of the opening weekend win at the Stadium of Light over Charlton.

A greater bond is forged on days like this.

Whether it was the way Jack Baldwin swiftly replied to a Bradford equaliser early in the second half by putting Sunderland ahead, the general reaction to losing Max Power to another red card or the penalty save from Jon McLaughlin that had the biggest impact isn’t quite clear.

All combined this was an afternoon that clearly meant more than it might have done to everyone connected with the Wearside club because of the manner in which victory was achieved.

Long after the final whistle was blown, Sunderland’s supporters were still celebrating.

As the substitutes, used and unused, made their way across the pitch for some post-match exercise while their team-mates were in the shower, the smattering of travelling fans still queuing at the exits noticed them and started to make a right racket; giving them the sort of reception they might have received had they just emerged from a dressing room that had clinched a cup final spot or emerged victorious in a meeting with rivals Newcastle United.

Such occasions must seem a million miles away at the moment, but that didn’t matter on Saturday.

What mattered was that the connection between the players on the pitch, those in the boardroom and the fans in the stands. If that carries on growing then Sunderland could well be in the Championship next season.

This group of men wearing the Sunderland shirts have already shown they have resilience to bounce back from falling behind, and in the last couple of games they have also shown that together they have the desire required when the going gets tough. The fans appreciate that.

For the second game in a row Jack Ross’ side secured a result despite going down to men with plenty time remaining in the second half. Only this time Sunderland went one better than the midweek draw with Peterborough by winning at Valley Parade.

Even though the Bradford supporters sensed blood and a turnaround when Power had been red carded for a petulant kick out at Ryan McGowan with 24 minutes remaining, those wearing last season’s third Sunderland strip, albeit with a change of sponsor, dug deep.

This season has already had its fair share of memorable moments; none more so than the opening weekend triumph over Charlton when Sunderland had to recover from falling a goal down to seal a dramatic win in the dying seconds in front of a home crowd desperate to start the new Stewart Donald era with on the right note.

Since then there have been highs and lows, ups and downs, and Saturday’s relatively short trip to West Yorkshire was certainly more of a peak than a trough and should bode well moving forward.

The signs that something a little different was on the cards arrived when centre-half Jack Baldwin, again impressive at the back and belying a fee of around £200,000, responded to Anthony O’Connor’s equaliser shortly after the break by firing low to put Sunderland ahead again less than two minutes later.

“That was testament to how the boys have been with me from day one,” said Ross.

“We’ve flown through 12 games very quickly and you forget we had to show incredible character in the Charlton game to respond to a poor start to the game and scored in injury-time.

“That’s continued throughout the season and it’s been different players showing it as well. It’s testament to the squad and the unity we’ve shown in a short period of time will stand us in good stead.”

Even though there has been a sense Sunderland have not found full flow since a summer of change on Wearside in terms of results and performances, they have still only lost one game. Winning at Bradford has lifted them to within a point of the top two and four shy of leaders Portsmouth.

To have achieved that despite having Power sent off was a further indication of just how much this Sunderland squad want to achieve; none seem overawed by the demands of promotion being placed on them at a club where supporters are desperate for success.

Things could easily have ended differently, but Ross’ team didn’t allow it to. With Sunderland leading courtesy of Baldwin’s low drive on the turn from 14 yards and Power back in the dressing room, goalkeeper McLaughlin had to set the tone by diving to his right to deny Jack Payne from the spot.

The incredible last-ditch tackle from Tom Flanagan to prevent Payne from converting the rebound was even more impressive, and Sunderland went on from there to keep a desperate Bradford at bay.

“Jon’s been very, very good this season,” said Ross, who signed McLaughlin on a free after leaving Hearts – he was also well liked at Bradford when he played there.

“A goalkeeper was a priority for me when I came to the club and he was a priority as an individual.

“He was somebody I was really keen to bring to the club and I fought hard to make sure we brought him. He’s justified that. He’s at a stage of his career and his life that it’s not fazing him playing for a club of this size and his performance levels have been consistently very good.”

After that Sunderland fought away, almost literally at one stage when Sean Scannell was dismissed deep in stoppage-time for shoving George Honeyman in the neck and to the floor. Lee Cattermole, excellent in midfield, was at the centre of things, but he was soon backed up by the team-mates he probably wouldn’t have expected to be mixing with this season.

By that time Sunderland had just about got the job done.

Josh Maja’s clever chested opener from Cattermole’s half volley in the 21st minute got things rolling before O’Connor had volleyed Bradford level six minutes after the restart.

Baldwin’s low strike after the Bantams had failed to deal with a free-kick from the right, however, proved enough to secure three important away points.

Even if there are aspects, like a failure to deal with a long throw which led to the equaliser, that need to be improved, Ross is prepared to accept that for now.

“It happens in games,” he said.

“It’s difficult for me because the frustration is that we’re not keeping clean sheets but on the flip side of it we score goals and our character to bounce back after conceding has been great as well so you walk that line as a manager.

“I think there are more positives than negatives at the moment.”