ON the eve of his first game as caretaker boss, Mike Dodds confidently promised that this stint would be different to last time – when his interim spell resulted in two defeats.

His confidence wasn’t misplaced. The visit of West Brom was a tough opener for Dodds but Sunderland deserved their three points against Albion, secured thanks to second half goals from Dan Ballard and Dan Neil – after an inspired substitution from the temporary boss.

Just after the hour mark – with the game goalless – Dodds turned to his bench and introduced Alex Pritchard. And it was the substitute who first swung in the free-kick for Ballard to head home the opener and then played in Neil, who chipped in the second.

There were late nerves after Brandon Thomas-Asante’s goal and a West Brom penalty appeal that was waved away deep, deep into six minutes of stoppage time, but the Black Cats saw it out.

In the week that Jude Bellingham described his younger brother as a “thoroughbred striker”, Jobe was preferred up-front to Sunderland’s four natural centre-forwards and it would have looked like a masterstroke from Dodds had the teenager not had a 15th minute opener wrongly ruled out for onside.

Like any good striker, Bellingham was in the right place at the right time to poke home a rebound inside the six-yard box after Alex Palmer could only parry Adil Aouchiche’s shot. The assistant’s flag was swiftly raised, as will have been the case with Dodds’ heartrate when he clapped eyes on a replay that showed Bellingham was clearly onside.

If Sunderland were infuriated by that first half decision, West Brom felt they had their their own cause for criticism of the officials. On his first return to the Stadium of Light since his controversial Sunderland exit four years ago, Josh Maja’s afternoon – and his first start of the season – was cut short by a crunching Ballard challenge 10 minutes before the break. Maja limped off and Ballard received a yellow card rather than a red. West Brom’s anger deepened when Ballard later set Sunderland on their way to victory.

Dodds, so desperate to “prove a point” after two defeats during his last caretaker stint, was a bundle of energy in the technical area but any nerves will have been eased by his side’s confident start.

Sunderland started well and other than an Alex Mowatt strike from distance that flashed narrowly wide of Anthony Patterson’s right post, it was the home side that looked the more likely in the opening exchanges.

Bellingham's disallowed goal was followed by a strong penalty shout soon after when Patrick Roberts hit the deck after a weaving run.

While West Brom didn’t manage a single shot on target in the first half, the Baggies did finish the opening period on top and Grady Diangana had a shot deflected wide after some penalty box pinball.

But it was Sunderland who were much the better team after the break and came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock just before the hour mark. Roberts again caused problems down the right and picked out Aouchiche, whose first time strike crashed off the post before Palmer superbly denied Clarke on the rebound.

Sunderland were dominating the ball and pinning Albion back, though Dodds’ side had to be aware of the counter attack threat. Substitute Fellows looked to break away on the right but Patterson was alive to the danger and quick off his line.

Pritchard was introduced and his pintpoint delivery was met by Ballard for the opener. His second assist came 15 minutes later when he spotted and played in Neil, with the midfielder making no mistake.

West Brom gave themselves hope when Thomas-Asante headed in Pipa’s cross. The Baggies pushed men forward and Jeremy Sarmiento went down in the box in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but the appeals were waved away.