SUNDERLAND manager Jack Ross insists now is not the time to get carried away in the League One promotion race after beating Walsall 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats closed the gap to second-placed Barnsley to two points with nine matches remaining, and Ross’ team still have a game in hand.

But Sunderland now have a two week break until the Checkatrade Trophy final against Portsmouth on March 31, so they can take a bit of a breather from the race to the Championship.

Sunderland hit two goals from Lee Cattermole (33) and Will Grigg (71) to claim three points despite conceding first when Walsall’s Josh Gordon flicked an opener inside four minutes.

Ross, who witnessed substitute Charlie Wyke lay on the winner for Grigg, said: “I’m delighted, it’s a big win for us in difficult conditions again today, like Tuesday was at Barnsley. We had to find a way to win.

“I’m disappointed the way we started, some of the defending, satisfied with the number of opportunities and to win from a losing position.

“We had been knocking on the door for a period at that time. It was fair when we went in level at half-time and I just wanted them to keep going. It is very easy to be critical as a manager, but overall as a manager to see out the game and get three points then it is good.

“For every sub you get right you will get one wrong, some are enforced, I think Charlie has had a difficult period of late, this season, for a number of reasons. I am pleased for him he has had a big part in the goal that won it for us today.

“This weekend shows, looking back at Tuesday, the only time you can really get caught up in the positions is with two or three games to go. There are so many points still to play for and this weekend shows that. The important thing is we won because don’t play for a few weeks. It’s a happy changing room because we want to win that.”

Sunnderland managed to close in on the automatic promotion spots courtesy of Grigg’s third goal for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The £4m signing from Wigan hit the winner. The Saddlers took the lead when Gordon wriggled his way free of his marker to flick a George Dobson free-kick into the Black Cats net inside four minutes.

Walsall also had further spells of pressure to find the net again, before and after Sunderland managed to hit the net, but they couldn’t find a way through to Jon McLaughlin’s goal.

Cattermole was credited to have levelled matters in the 32nd minute when his back post volley found its way to the net after hitting the woodwork and bouncing back over the line off someone. It was his sixth of the season.

Then Grigg, Grant Leadbitter and Max Power all had chances to add a second for the home side before the winner did arrive with 19 minutes remaining.

Former Bradford striker Wyke had only been on the pitch a few seconds when his first touch saw him lay the ball off for Grigg to take over.

The Northern Ireland international controlled well and then side-footed a lovely finish inside goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ bottom left corner to give Sunderland the points.

SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): McLaughlin; O’Nien, Flanagan, Baldwin, Matthews (Hume 67); Leadbitter, Cattermole (Gooch 62); Morgan (Wyke 71), Power, McGeady; Grigg. Subs (not used): Ruiter (gk), McGeouch, Dunne, Sterling.

WALSALL (4-3-3): Roberts; Devlin, Scarr, Guthrie, Leahy; Kinsella, Dobson, Edwards (Oteh 88); Ismail, Blackett-Taylor (Cook 73); Gordon. Subs (not used): Dunn, Fitzwater, Osbourne, Laird, Norman.