Regis Le Bris says patience is paying off for Eliezer Mayenda after the Sunderland striker continued his fine recent run of form with a goal in the 2-1 win over Cardiff.
Mayenda has had to settle for a place on the bench for long stages this season, with Wilson Isidor having established himself as Sunderland’s first-choice striker.
But the 19-year-old was handed a start at Sheffield Wednesday last week and took his chance as he scored both goals in a 2-1 win.
He followed that up with a second-minute opener in Saturday’s success at the Stadium of Light, taking his goal tally for the season to six.
“He’s doing very well,” said Sunderland’s head coach.
“I’ve said it before, he’s a good example for all the team. He was on the bench for a long period but kept working, kept trying to be involved with the team and kept trying to improve his levels. Now he’s really impressive.
“Here at Sunderland we can’t buy players at that level so we need to build them. He’s playing really well.”
Mayenda’s early opener was cancelled by out by Isaak Davies but Bournemouth loanee Chris Mepham scored the winner for Sunderland 13 minutes from time. The Black Cats have recovered from successive defeats to Leeds and Hull with back-to-back wins.
Le Bris said: “We scored early and for 20 minutes we were really good.
“It was the way we want to play. We were sharp and quick so I was disappointed at half-time. If we’d maintained that level we could have scored two or three more goals.”
With Sheffield United and Burnley both winning again, the Black Cats remain eight points adrift of the automatic promotion places and a top-two finish looks unlikely.
Sunderland are 15 points clear of seventh place but Le Bris insists his side cannot afford to coast in the final 10 games of the season.
He said: “We are not in the play-offs yet, we have to win maybe six, seven or eight more points, maybe more.
“If we are not at our best level it will be impossible to be competitive, We have to build strong momentum.”
Cardiff boss Omer Riza was disappointed to leave empty-handed after his side recovered from a nightmare start and drew level four minutes before the break.
Striker Yousef Salech had a glorious chance to put the Bluebirds in front in the second half but was denied by goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
Cardiff remain 21st, four points above the relegation zone.
Riza said: “I’m disappointed to not leave with a point. I thought we did enough to earn a point. We switched off in a key moment, lost focus and lost the game 2-1 to a free-kick that was cheap. That’s frustrating and disappointing.
“Having got back in the game, we could have scored again when the keeper made a good save. It’s disappointing.
“We showed good character to get back in the game after conceding early. I thought we were on top at times against a good young side. To come here and play the way we did in certain phases of the game was pleasing.
“But you can’t afford to switch off like we did because you get punished and that’s disappointing.”
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