Empty Stadium of Light could help Dons end away-day curse

A lack of supporters in Sunderland's Stadium of Light could help Dons finally pick up a victory on the road according to Russell Martin.

It has been 20 games since Dons' last away victory - the now infamous 3-0 win over Blackpool in September 2019 - and it's a stat manager Martin is desperate to see the back of.

More than 30,000 fans attended, on average, home games to roar on the Black Cats last season and made it an intimidating place for teams to go.

However, Martin believes the lack of a crowd could help his side get on top and dictate the play, as they did against Portsmouth last month at a normally boystrous Fratton Park.

"We'd all prefer to go there with 30,000 people, but it’ll be better for us without their fans," he said. "The last few teams we’ve played away from home have set up a really different way to us. If there were fans in the stadium, it would make it harder for them to accept that. If you're the home team and you're looking to bank up and stop the visitors, the fans wouldn't accept that for very long.

"I think this will be different though - they will come out and attack us, it’s going to be a different game to our last few away games. I’m looking forward to that challenge and so are the players."

He continued: "This away thing you talk about is frustrating and really annoying, what better time than now? If not now, then when? We’re going there to win a game of football – I believe the players can do that. We want to turn it into our game.

"They're a good team with a good mamager at this level, we’ll respect their threats and what they bring. There is nothing to lose, no-one outside of our building expects us to get anything so we'll go and have a go."

Last season's game between the sides at the Stadium of Light saw Sunderland score twice in 11 minutes to claim a 2-1 win over Paul Tisdale's side, with Jordan Bowery pulling one back in the second half.

"I think it was one of our better performances," said Martin, who played at centre back in the game. "They scored and we had a player off the pitch doing his boots which frustrated me at hte time, but we allowed it to happen. We were pretty good after that from what I can remember.

"It’s two different teams to what they are now, different styles now, it’s going to be different and I’m really looking forward to it."