Football: In Wunderland

Sunderland 3

Smith 65, 69, Quinn 81

Grimsby 1

Groves 70

Attendance: 40,070

SUNDERLAND REMAIN the untouchables of English football, for the time being at least. Peter Reid's return to Goodison Park on Wednesday night will present his team, and their unbeaten run, with a test of Premiership quality, albeit in the Worthington Cup. Yesterday, though, in front of 40,077 at the Stadium Of Light, Sunderland duly extended their best ever start to a season to a 22nd league and cup match without defeat. Not since Michael Gray trundled his penalty into the arms of Sasa Ilic at Wembley on 25 May have Sunderland tasted defeat, though it was a bitter pill they swallowed that afternoon.

Their upward mobility has remained steadfast thus far into their latest promotion campaign. Reid's team now stand five points clear of Ipswich in the First Division's pole position, having ultimately overcome Grimsby's more than worthy challenge with three goals in the final 25 minutes yesterday - the first two by Martin Smith and the third by Niall Quinn. "I'm delighted with the result," Reid said. "Grimsby were very determined and very skilful."

They were indeed. And the Sunderland manager also had personnel problems to surmount, with Kevin Phillips and Lee Clark both still out of action, Daniele Dichio, Michael Gray and Nicky Summerbee on the injured list and Alex Rae in a clinic suffering from what a club spokesman has described as "stress and alcohol-related problems". Without any striking alternatives, Reid was obliged to play the less-than-fit Quinn and Michael Bridges and it was hardly surprising that his patched-up team were all at sea at times against the Mariners.

Three times in the opening 10 minutes Thomas Sorensen came under serious threat and Sunderland's Danish goalkeeper was obliged to race out of his penalty area to halt Jack Lester with a clumsy challenge that drew yellow- carded admonition. Not until the half-hour mark did Sunderland pose any sort of a threat to Aidan Davison, an unsuccessful trialist at Roker Park in his teenage days as a van driver-cum-Northern League goalkeeper with Spennymoor United.

Just as the natives were becoming restive, with 65 minutes on the clock, Smith broke the deadlock. The former England under-21 winger found the back of the Grimsby net with a crashing right-foot volley after Davison parried a point-blank shot by Quinn. Four minutes later Smith rose to head in Allan Johnston's cross from the left. Sunderland's advantage was halved within a minute, Perry Groves beating Sorensen with a close range shot, the points were effectively secure nine minutes from time when Quinn turned to fire a curling shot past Davison.

It was League goal number 100 for the Irishman and a victory achieved with the ailing Rae in mind. "I'm sure he'll be pleased," Reid said. "There is always spirit in the dressing room but when one of your mates is having problems you gang together for him."