Ballard’s goal sends Sunderland to play-off final

LONDON: Sunderland reached the Championship play-off final in the most dramatic fashion as Dan Ballard´s goal in the dying seconds of extra-time sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory against Coventry on Tuesday.

Regis Le Bris´ side trailed to Ephron Mason-Clark´s goal late in the second half of the semi-final second leg. But, with a penalty shoot-out moments away, Ballard headed home in stoppage-time to earn a 1-1 draw and spark wild celebrations from over 46,000 fans packed into the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland will face Sheffield United in the play-off final at Wembley on May 24. United finished in third place, 14 points clear of fourth-placed Sunderland in the regular season, with both teams winning one against each other this season.

Sunderland´s bid to return to the Premier League after an eight-year absence -- a dark period that has included a spell in the third tier -- remains alive. But Le Bris´ men will have to improve significantly on a nervous display that nearly gifted a place in the final to Coventry.

“It´s really fantastic because this scenario was absolutely incredible. We were probably too nervous for the first part of the game,” Le Bris said. “It was a little bit frustrating because we knew on the bench we could play better. We changed our structure. During extra-time, we were good.

“This final corner-kick was fantastic for Ballard. The players deserve to live this and we have a fantastic final to play. We just enjoy it now.” Languishing in 17th place until they were revitalised when former Chelsea and Everton boss Frank Lampard took charge in November, Coventry were desperately unlucky to fall short in their promotion bid as their 24-year Premier League exile continues.

“We dominated huge periods of this game. It was wave after wave,” Lampard said. “I´ve been around a lot so I´ve taken whacks and I´ve had success. I can be a bit more balanced but for those players, they don´t deserve that.

“We´re not bitter, and congratulations to Sunderland but we were the better team over the two matches. That´s why they´ll be so happy going to Wembley.” Sunderland suffered five successive defeats coming into the play-offs, but they dug deep to reach the final in the most remarkable style.

Having won the first leg 2-1 at Coventry on Friday, Black Cats adopted an ultra-cautious game-plan that led Lampard´s men seize the initiative. Jack Rudoni should have equalised from Mason-Clark´s header just before half-time, but the midfielder poked over from inside the six-yard box.

It was a similar story in the second half as Coventry kept probing intelligently and Sunderland curiously opted to sit deep inside their own half. Having defended tirelessly to keep Coventry at bay, Sunderland almost delivered the knockout blow through Trai Hume, whose volley was turned away by Ben Wilson at full stretch.

But, with time running out for Coventry, Mason-Clark hauled the Sky Blues level in the 76th minute. Milan van Ewijk made a clever over-lapping run and whipped a pin-point cross into the Sunderland area for Mason-Clark to volley home from close-range.