WELL, that was enjoyable, wasn’t it? How about if we do it one more time before the end of the season? Wembley, at the end of May, perhaps?

Far-fetched? Who knows. But after a period of half-a-decade in which matches involving two of the North-East’s big three have been all-but-non-existent, there is something appealingly novel about watching two of the region’s leading sides play out a game in which the outcome could have major repercussions come the end of the campaign.

Middlesbrough, rejuvenated under Michael Carrick, unquestionably remain play-off contenders despite today’s setback at the Stadium of Light. Forced to play with ten men for almost the whole of the second half after Dael Fry’s dismissal for bundling over Ross Stewart, Boro refused to be cowed and actually played their best football with a man disadvantage. They remain in a top-six position, and might well stay there for the rest of the season.

Sunderland are within a point of the play-off places after today’s win, and while Tony Mowbray’s young guns have always been capable of playing attractive, attacking football, their success against in-form opposition from just down the road proves they have the steel to go with their silky passing style. Combine both attributes effectively between now and the end of the season, and a top-six finish of their own is definitely in reach.

Is the Wear-Tees skirmish a derby? Middlesbrough supporters generally seem to think so; Sunderland fans are less sure as they continue to pine for the days when their club was regularly locking horns with Newcastle United. Either way, today’s Stadium of Light showdown undoubtedly had the kind of ‘big-game feel’ that tends to be reserved for matches that really mean something. For once, indeed probably for the first time in more than two decades, it also featured two teams that can justifiably claim to be heading in the right direction.

That certainly wasn’t the case when the sides last met on Wearside almost five years ago, when a 3-3 draw highlighted the defensive frailties that would rapidly result in both teams being relegated from the Premier League.

Neither side has been back in the top-flight since, indeed Sunderland have spent the last four years battling to reclaim a place in the Championship such has been the extent of their fall from grace, but the fact that both teams ended today’s game sitting in the top ten suggests that better times could be just around the corner.

In the here and now, Sunderland will simply be happy they have shaken off their derby-day curse, with today’s success ending a seven-game winless run against Boro. For a while, it was beginning to look like they were destined to be despondent in these games.

Back in September, Stewart didn’t even make it through the warm-up before he was stricken by a thigh injury that would eventually keep him on the sidelines for the best part of three months. They boasted a full complement of starters on the pitch at kick-off today, but lost their captain just ten minutes in when Corry Evans injured himself while committing a foul in his own half. Evans was replaced by Edouard Michut, which meant that from the 11th minute onwards, eight of Sunderland’s 11 players were aged 23 or under. Would the occasion be too much for them? Anything but.

Sunderland were the dominant side throughout, with the only disappointment from a red-and-white perspective the fact that the scoresheet remained blank until the 51st minute. Dan Neil ran things from the heart of midfield, triumphing in his personal battle against fellow youngster Hayden Hackney, Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts caused problems cutting in from the flanks, and Amad Diallo, the jewel in the Black Cats’ crown of emerging talent, buzzed here, there and everywhere as he tormented the Middlesbrough defence.

Amad should have scored after just nine minutes, dragging a shot wide after Zack Steffen made a hash of his side-footed clearance, and was instrumental in the first-half move that ended with Ross Stewart slamming home the rebound after Steffen saved from Roberts, only for Sunderland’s leading scorer to be rightly flagged offside.

Michael Carrick worked closely with Amad during his time at Manchester United, and was always convinced the young Ivorian had what was needed to succeed at the highest level. Watching his prophecy come true yesterday would not have made for comfortable viewing for Boro’s head coach.

Sometimes, however, functionality can be a match for flair, and while describing Middlesbrough as a supremely functional side might be damning them with faint praise, their ability to cling on to parity despite being outplayed for the entire first half of today’s game is proof of a skillset that could prove critical in the second half of the season.

Five minutes into the second half however, and Boro’s defensive solidity disappeared. Fry was caught on the wrong side as Stewart broke clear again and panicked as he bundled the striker to the floor. Steffen, rooted to his line, did nothing to deal with the danger, and while he made a fine save from the spot, he could do nothing to prevent Stewart tapping home the rebound

Amad’s 81st-minute strike settled things, enabling Sunderland’s jubilant supporters to lord it over their neighbours at the final whistle. It remains to be seen, however, who will have the last laugh come May.