Black Cats stun Wilder's Blades with comeback win to end eight year wait for return to top flight

The red and white stripes derby : Picture by @YTJourno

Championship Play-off Final

Sheffield United (1) 1 Campbell 24

Sunderland (0) 2 Mayenda 76, Watson 95

It will be a moment that haunts Wales international Kieffer Moore forever.

It will be one that Sunderland sub Tom Watson and delirious Black Cats fans will bask in for years to come.

With the game deep into injury time and heading for an extra 30 minutes to decide who would be heading up to the top flight, Moore's misplaced pass opened the door for Watson to race on and bend a low shot around defenders into the bottom corner past the despairing dive of Michael Cooper and that was that.

There was simply no time for the Blades to recover the damage. And having looked in firm control for so long, this one was hard to take in the battle of the best two red and white striped play-off contenders.

Watching on were former heroes Jordan Henderson and Niall Quinn - among those revelling in the full time scenes. One of the enduring images will be of Luke O'Nien - arm in a sling - playing a huge part in celebrating the first goal and joining in with his team-mates after full time.

Of course, the cynics will instantly install the Mackems as relegation favourites for next year but the daunting challenge of surviving the top flight can wait for another day. For now, their overjoyed fans will bask in this.

They had to endure the sight of seeing their bitter north east rivals Newcastle cavort around Wembley earlier in the season in lifting the Carabao Cup. They needed this one more than ever - if only to offset that hurt.

You had to feel for Moore, who had an impressive start to the game with a steepling header towards the bottom corner, forcing keeper Anthony Patterson into a brilliant goal-line save with a low dive to his left. Patterson would later be declared man of the match.

It gave Chris Wilder's team momentum, while Sunderland had to regroup after losing O'Nien in that goal attempt - the defender landing awkwardly as he contested the cross, dislocating his shoulder.

The Blades, who finished one place and 14 points ahead of the Wearsiders in the regular Championship season, were soon on top and took the lead with a sensational counter-attack.

Gustavo Hamer, the division's player of the season, ran from his own penalty area 0all the way to the opposition box with a superb piece of acceleration before slipping a smart pass out to Tyrese Campbell, who finished with a deft clip over the keeper.

It looked for all the world as though Sheffield were going to seize control completely just past the half hour when Harrison Burrows latched onto a headed clearance at a corner to volley into the bottom corner - only for VAR to rule an offside, with Vini Souza standing close to Patterson and deemed to be interfering.

No VAR in the regular Championship season, but this game is too important not to have all checks and balances in place.

Sunderland were to make the most of their reprieve big time. Regis Le Bris' men were much more on the front foot after the break and looked in the mood to re-write the script.

The Blades ought to have been out of sight when Andre Brooks almost capitalised on a defensive slip, but slammed his low shot into the legs of Patterson and they were soon punished for letting the Mackems off the hook.

Patrick Roberts, off the bench and playing with a real panache that troubled their opponents, slipped a delicate pass through to Eli Mayenda and the striker crashed a shot high into the roof of the net beyond keeper Michael Cooper.

Tails up, and attacking the goal where their fans were housed, there was suddenly a real mood change in the stadium. Jobe Bellingham blazed over from outside the box.

If there was going to be a winner now in the game with an estimated value to the winners of around £200m, it had to be Sunderland. Moore and Watson's interventions decreed that that would be the case.

Sheffield United - forever failing in playoffs and always coming up short at Wembley, have had to taste bitter failure yet again.

Blades: (4-4-2) Cooper - Choudhury, Ahmedhodzic (Seriki 96), Robinson, Burrows - Brewster (Brooks 64), Peck (Davies 90), Vinicius Souza, Hamer (Brereton Diaz 72) (Cannon 90) - Moore, Campbell (O'Hare 64)

Mackems: (4-4-2) Patterson - Hume, Ballard, O'Nien (Mepham 8), Cirkin - Rigg (Roberts 58), Neil (Watson 73), Bellingham, Le Fee - Mayenda (Hjelde 96), Mundle (Isidor 73)

Attendance: 82,718