MICK McCARTHY was delighted with his inexperienced back four after they gave a colossal performance in yesterday's 2-0 away victory at Derby County.

The Sunderland boss was without both skipper Gary Breen and Scottish international Steve Caldwell for the trip and had to rely on the inexperienced Neill and Danny Collins in a Championship match at the heart of his defence for the very first time this season.

It was only Danny Collins' fifth start of the season and his teammate's ninth, yet both defenders performed like seasoned professionals against an experienced Rams' strike force.

With the imminent return of both Breen and Caldwell, McCarthy has one of those nice selection problems managers love to have ahead of Saturday's crucial Championship clash with promotion rivals Sheffield United.

"Don't ask me what I'm going to do," admitted the Black Cats' boss. "I'm going to have to think about that for the next six days.

"What is nice is that the two Collins came in and were excellent. We've seen against Derby and all season that individually they are good players; the problem is collectively.

"But it was great to see them play well together, but that is not always the case and that is why you sometimes see us all over the park, or teams who change their back four all over the park. We got spanked at Preston for 45 minutes the other week.

"But they have played together in the reserves and train together and they know each other well."

Sunderland's victory may have been based on solid defensive foundations but the whole side contributed and none more so than Dean Whitehead.

The former Oxford midfielder must have covered every inch of the Pride Park pitch and his industrious display was rewarded with a goal.

"Dean has been excellent since he's come to us," said McCarthy. "He's really a central midfield player, but he's played wide right down at Gillingham for us and about ten games after that.

"We have had to move him about but he does a really good job. He is effective, unfussy and just gets on with it for us. He's a terrific lad."

McCarthy felt his side deserved the win and admitted it was imperative they did so to keep the pressure on top two, Ipswich and Wigan, who both won at the weekend.

He said: "I thought we deserved to win the game. The first half was very open and probably too open for my liking.

"They had a couple of chances first half but I felt we dominated in the second.

"The players have all seen the league, but I just felt it was worth highlighting the fact to them before the game that we could have been eight and five points behind the top two, but it's nice to be five points and two again.

"We have loads to gain with an away win, and it's a great win, and we're all cutting each others throats no question.

"We're still on their tails and they'll be looking behind them wondering about us."

On paper, the Black Cats have a reasonable run in until the hectic Easter programme.

But then they have a run of promotion deciders where they play five of their last six Championship clashes against Wigan, Reading, Ipswich, Leicester and West Ham.

"We have a great finish," McCarthy said sarcastically. "I imagine there'll be a few bums twitching in all parts of the country.

"Somebody said to me that it is a difficult finish for you. But we're not playing teams scrapping for relegation (which is difficult).

"But at least it is the same pressure for all of us; to finish in the play-offs or finish in the top two. The pressures are just the same and the rewards are the same."

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