After an unsatisfactory stint at the Stadium of Light in the early stages of 2022, caretaker manager Mike Dodds will have been eager to secure atonement at Sunderland.
The Black Cats were in League One at the time, and Lee Johnson had been fired following a 6-0 loss to Bolton Wanderers in late January.
Dodds was in charge for two games until Johnson’s replacement, Alex Neil, took over, and on paper, the Wearside outfit should have won both.
First and foremost, they faced Doncaster Rovers at home, and to emphasize how good a chance this was for the caretaker manager to win three points, the Yorkshire club was relegated at the end of that season.
However, Reo Griffiths and Tommy Rowe put the visitors up 2-0 before Corry Evans cut the deficit in half shortly before the finish.
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A 2-1 home loss wasn’t the finest start to Dodds’ reign, as they went on to lose 2-1 against Cheltenham Town in his other game.
Those results may have harmed the Black Cats’ chances of promotion, but Neil was able to turn things around and guarantee the club finished in the top six.
They were then able to win the play-offs, which was a huge relief for Dodds.
So far, Mike Dodds has served as caretaker manager at Sunderland.
The fact that those defeats against Doncaster and Cheltenham did not have a negative impact allowed Dodds to make a fresh start after Tony Mowbray’s departure.
On paper, however, he had a very difficult two games ahead of him, especially given the Black Cats’ recent record.
The first game of his second brief stint in management was against West Bromwich Albion, who are currently in the promotion hunt and have had a good season under Carlos Corberan.
However, the hosts prevailed in the end at the Stadium of Light, with Dan Ballard’s goal proving to be the deciding factor.
They followed it up with a 1-0 win over Leeds United on Tuesday night. They generated some good chances, and Jobe Bellingham scored from close range to secure the three points.
Mike Dodds earned his redemption against Leeds United.
The win over West Brom was sufficient, but the Black Cats needed to follow it up against Leeds, which was no easy feat given Daniel Farke’s men had been brilliant for the bulk of the season, now sitting in third position.
They deserved something from the game after defending effectively and creating many of chances on offense, and they will be pleased with the three points.
This win has only increased their hopes of returning to the Premier League, and if they do secure promotion at the end of the season, Dodds will be able to say he played a part in it with these fantastic triumphs over two top sides.
Following such a disastrous first takeover time, he is currently thriving and should be applauded for his efforts.
Six points from six was not an easy assignment, but he passed these two examinations with flying colors.
