AFTER watching Sunderland come from behind to avoid defeat for the seventh time in League One this season, manager Jack Ross has paid tribute to his players for proving just how much they want to turn things around at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats preserved their unbeaten record on Wearside by collecting another three points in the battle for promotion despite falling a goal down after just 11 minutes against struggling and managerless Bristol Rovers.

Sunderland were made to work even harder for the win because of the icy cold wind and rain, while they also had to endure injury problems that they had to cope with to get them over the line against Rovers.

But win they did courtesy of Josh Maja’s winner three minutes into the second half after Adam Matthews had cancelled out Alex Rodman’s early opener at the end of the first half; meaning Sunderland have won six and drawn four of their home dates in the league.

“It’s not an easy thing to create at a club,” said Ross. “Every manager and coach will talk about creating that mentality and results naturally help it.

“It probably helps that me and my staff are more glass half-full than half-empty people but it has to be tinged with realism. You can’t give the players any bull in that respect.

“They’ve come through enough challenges this season to know they have that character and Saturday was another example. Coming from behind in any game is always difficult because you know you have to score two to win it. That thankfully was the case.”

There have been numerous occasions this season when Sunderland have had to show their mettle to deliver a result. More often than not they have achieved their goals too, having only lost once so far in the league.

There have been plenty of times when Sunderland have been reduced to ten men, conceded the first goal or even suffered injuries. Saturday had those things as well as the awful weather conditions that made it hard for both teams.

“It was another different one,” said Ross. “In the first half there was a bit of anxiety in the stadium, which happens. As a group and club we’ve worked really hard to make sure they enjoy playing here again and I thought they showed that.

“I can tell them to do it, but they have to do it out on the park. They had a bit about them that said they wanted to keep going.

“There was a little spell in the first half where it looked as though it got to us a little bit, but you could see we got through it and created three or four good opportunities close together.

“It was good for us to get the goal just before half-time because it probably just galvanised that belief for the second half. It wasn’t perfect but they looked fairly strong in terms of their character.”

During the days building up to the visit of Bristol Rovers, Sunderland had to rule defender Tom Flanagan out through injury.  Reece James, a regular part of the team during the recent winning run, then had to withdraw from the starting line-up because he suffered an ankle injury in the warm-up, and then goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin had to be replaced by Robbin Ruiter in the second half with a back problem.   Ross said: “It was a strange day in that respect because we knew we’d have to make the change with Tom (Flanagan) and I thought Glenn (Loovens) did well. I trust him in that regard.

“Bryan (Oviedo), it’s not like he’s not a good player coming in but he probably gives us a difficult dimension in that regard and even the relationships between people and distances, etc. It was to the players’ credit that they did manage to produce a half-decent performance given those challenges pre-match and during the game.”

Now Sunderland are going to have to monitor McLaughlin closely this week building up to Saturday’s trip to leaders Portsmouth when Ross knows he could do with fielding his first choice keeper.

McLaughlin needed treatment early in the second half against Rovers but eventually had to be withdrawn because the pain of the spasms wouldn’t go away.  The Sunderland manager said: “It’s very early to say but we’re hopeful given that it’s a spasm that he will be OK. It’s difficult to predict with that kind of injury but he seems fairly positive just now.”

Ruiter was given a decent reception from the fans on his return to the side, despite the criticism he received from the same supporters last season for a number of poor performances. He did what he had to do against Rovers and Ross is happy with the Dutchman.

Ross said: “I take players as I find them and when Robbin has been asked to play this season his performances have been good.  “I know it’s only been in the Checkatrade Trophy games but in the three group games and the knockout game his performances have been good, he’s made a few games and he’s looked secure and confident.  “I know he had very little to do when he came on but he still looked as if he was in a decent place mentally.”

Sunderland had only won two of their previous six matches so Ross was keen for his team to get back to winning ways, regardless of the injury situation. Having done that – and handed league appearances after injury to Lee Cattermole and Duncan Watmore – he thinks his players got their rewards.

He said: “I have seen us play worse, seen us play better but given the conditions and the circumstances of falling behind, I am pleased.

“It is the first time I have sensed apprehension and that was a test for the players because they have come a long way in a short time, and it was good to come through that.  “It was good to get their rewards and that regenerated the positive feeling in the ground and at the end I am just really pleased with the win.

“We are still a work in progress which is not looking for excuses but where we have come from there is a resilience and they have shown that again today. They are proud of their record this season so the Walsall defeat in the FA Cup did hurt them and it was nice to see them get their rewards.”

There was also a 13th goal of the season for leading scorer Maja to celebrate and further enhance his reputation. He took it well again, even if he was not at his best earlier in the game when he spurned a couple of chances.

Ross said: "Maja was good when he came on the other night and good again. We forget he is only 19 so he will be up and down and it is a surprise when he gets chances and the ball doesn’t go in the back of the net, like that one in the first-half. He gets in those positions and he gets that important goal."