Tommy Watson's first Sunderland goals came on his 12th appearance for the club
Teenage Sunderland midfielder Tommy Watson scored the first two goals of his career as the Championship promotion hopefuls beat Stoke City to win for the first time in seven games.
The hosts, who had not won since 26 October, were behind after just six minutes when Liverpool's 19-year-old loanee Lewis Koumas fired Stoke ahead at the second attempt.
But Watson levelled within a minute and went close twice more before hitting a deflected 86th-minute winner to shade a hard-fought contest in such challenging conditions on Storm Darragh-hit Wearside.
Neither side had managed a goal between them in their previous two games, yet, within just seven minutes of kick-off, it was 1-1.
- Published6 December
Recalled on-loan Liverpool teenager Koumas opened the scoring on six minutes when he broke down the right from near the halfway line before cutting in to test home keeper Anthony Patterson.
His first effort was saved, but he coolly clipped the rebound in left-footed from a much tighter angle for a fourth goal of the season for the five-times capped Wales international.
Yet the Stoke lead lasted barely 30 seconds before being cancelled out almost straight from the restart by an opposition player who is even younger.
Midfielder Watson exchanged passes with Jobe Bellingham inside the Stoke box before the 18-year-old fired in a powerful, low right-foot shot which beat flat-footed Potters keeper Viktor Johansson at his near right post.
Watson then came close to putting Sunderland ahead just before the break when he tested Johansson from a similar position, this time with his left foot, aimed at the other corner, but the Stoke keeper got enough on it to turn the ball against the upright.
Wilson Isidor also twice went close, picking out Johansson on a quick break before steering another effort wide - and Watson then wasted another good chance when he scooped over unmarked from just outside the six-yard box.
But, straight after the hosts had seen a goal chalked off from his cross, Watson then won it when, after being picked out by Patrick Roberts, his right-foot shot deflected past Johansson into the opposite corner.
Who's next?
Both sides are back in action on Tuesday night, when Regis Le Bris's Sunderland host Bristol City, and Narcis Pelach's Stoke head for Luton.
The Potters are now without a win in five games going into their midweek game, which will mark a year to the day since they sacked former Sunderland boss Alex Neil - and replaced him with Pelach's predecesssor Steven Schumacher.
After being without central defender Ben Gibson through illness, Pelach hopes he will be fit for the trip to Kenilworth Road.
Stoke scored inside six minutes through on-loan Lewis Koumas but then had only two more shots on target
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle:
"We deserved to win. We had many chances to score, but it was difficult.
"The conditions were there to remind us that nothing comes easily in life.
"It was a long battle but this will have created a new confidence."
Stoke City boss Narcis Pelach told BBC Radio Stoke:
"After all the effort it was disappointing to lose at the end to a deflection goal.
"The players felt they deserved more. We are close to the next step.
"A lot of teams suffer here - but we are very pleased with the way we competed."
