Darren Ward was delighted with his recall at Sunderland for the weekend's victory over Derby County.

"I was surprised at being selected," Ward, 33, said. "Craig Gordon is an excellent goalkeeper and the club shelled out a lot of money on him, so I expected him to play a few games. But it's the manager's call and he's made the decision and it's up to me now. It's a goal of mine to be playing regularly. To achieve what we did last season gave me more hunger, so, personally, the start of this season was disappointing.

"But the lads have been really supportive and I'd like to continue playing and keep my place in the side. Craig is a great lad. I can't even dislike him for coming in and taking the shirt I had last year. He is a joy to work with. He's very dedicated in his approach to goalkeeping and we have plenty of banter in training.

"We get on particularly well, even though we are both fighting it out for just one place. Ultimately, whoever plays, the other wants them to do well for the team. A professional footballer knows his lot and things in football can change very quickly. Certainly throughout my career, it has been a case of taking the rough with the smooth."