Let’s get behind the lads... This tie is not over!

Twitter can be a dangerous place to go at any time as a football fan, but especially after a harrowing defeat like Sunderland’s on Wednesday night. The tweets and comments that were expressed after the result, with emotions running high, were naturally all over the place.

Make no bones about it, the result was poor, it was not a total catastrophe, not a disaster, and certainly not fatal... Yet. Understandably, fans were angry and upset with a rather insipid display at times. This is natural.

What I struggle to accept is people calling for the manager to be sacked after only six months at the club.

Lee Johnson deserves criticism for some of his decisions. I am sure he is big enough to accept this. Conversely, more than anything right now, he needs our support.

Photo by Chris Vaughan - CameraSport via Getty Images

Sunderland are a wounded animal heading into Saturday’s clash. The first-leg performance was extremely disappointing in certain aspects.

Too many players appeared to play the occasion, not the game. Players froze. It was clear to see. Lincoln played with fluidity and zest, Sunderland played in fits and starts. They looked like a team weighed down with expectation.

That being said, we could have easily won. Aiden McGeady did everything but score. Bailey Wright connected with a header almost too well, while Lynden Gooch almost bent one into the corner at the end of the first half.

We have performed better in matches and created fewer chances.

With this in mind, it is imperative that the fans continue to back the team in the next couple of days before Saturday.

Seeing fans back in the grounds has warmed hearts. It is a symbol of normality - a sign of recovery after a horrible time with the pandemic.

They’re the proverbial 12th man. Though there were only 3000 fans at Sincil Bank, they could be heard loud and clear, along with their horn!

Photo by Chris Vaughan - CameraSport via Getty Images

Like many fans, I could not obtain a ticket for Saturday, as hard as I tried.

The fans that did are the lucky ones, but also the ones now with a massive responsibility. They have to back the manager and the players throughout Saturday. Intimidate Lincoln, boo every touch they have. Make them feel like it is the worst 90 minutes of their lives.

As Sunderland fans, we take pride in how good we are as supporters. How loyal we are. Now is the time to show it. Come back with a bang! Do it for all the fans that cannot be there.

Two-nil is not an insurmountable lead - far from it. Teams have come back from far worse. With a couple of attacking tweaks, a quick start and an early goal, the game is there for the taking.

The Stadium of Light could be rocking.

Wednesday was a blow. Not a fatal one.

As a fan who cannot make it, I’m asking those in attendance to please get behind the boys, and make it a memorable occasion. Now is the time to show who we are!