What Regis Le Bris said about Sheffield United after Sunderland's dramatic Coventry win books Wembley date
Regis Le Bris’ Sheffield United verdict after Sunderland reach play-off final with dramatic Coventry City win
The pandemonium had barely died down at a raucous Stadium of Light when Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris turned his attentions towards the threat posed by Sheffield United in the play-off final at Wembley later this month. The Black Cats’ semi-final tie with Coventry City looked to be heading for penalties last night before Dan Ballard struck with almost the last touch of the game.
Ballard’s header sparked absolute bedlam in the stands as he booked his side’s place at Wembley on May 24 against the Blades, who had a rather smoother progression to the final with a 6-0 aggregate victory over Bristol City.
The Blades and the Black Cats both won one game apiece against the other in the regular season, with Le Bris aware of the challenge that Chris Wilder’s side will pose in the capital later this month. “They are a really good team,” he said. “Well-organised with different threats, good experience. They were in the Premier League last season, so another tough challenge.
“But I think to be promoted at the end, you have to break something and it will be tough, but we’ll have our ambition, we’ll have our desire to win and we’ll give all the quality we have in this group, the character, the ambition and so on.”
Sunderland led 2-1 at kick-off after victory in the first leg at the CBS Arena but were second-best to Coventry for much of the evening, with the Sky Blues levelling the tie on aggregate when Ephron Mason-Clark put them ahead on the night. But Ballard headed home unmarked from Enzo Le Fee’s corner in the third minute of added time to send his side through 3-2 on aggregate.
“What we lived together this season was absolutely brilliant and we don't have to forget that,” Le Bris added. “After that, it's really important to think about Wembley now because one more game, it will be another tough challenge and we are now really focused on that future."
United’s players enjoyed themselves in the wake of booking their place at Wembley and judging by the scenes up the A1 last night, it won’t have been a quiet evening on Wearside either with 10 days before Le Bris’ players return to action.
Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, Sunderland defender Luke O’Nien admitted: “I don’t think we’re going to do much tonight! I think we’ll just enjoy it tonight and then go home and get ready for the final.
“You don’t need to quiet anything down tonight. Enjoy it, because these moments don’t come around often. My little girl should be in bed but there she is up there. But no, don’t quieten down. We’ll come good and we’ll focus when it comes to the final.”