Sam Allardyce praised Sunderlands ability to cope with pressure after they avoided relegation with an assured 3-0 victory over Everton. Patrick Robinson Saints Jersey . After Saturdays stunning 3-2 win over Chelsea, the Black Cats went into Wednesdays game at the Stadium of Light knowing victory would guarantee top-flight football for another season.They rose to the occasion as goals from Patrick van Aanholt and Lamine Kone in four first-half minutes all-but secured safety, before Kone made sure of the win 10 minutes after the break. And Allardyce, who felt his side should have scored more, claimed the performance typified a miraculous run of form that had guided the Black Cats to the cusp of safety.Everyone wanted us to perform like we did against Chelsea and we did that better today because we didnt fall behind, Allardyce told Sky Sports. Watch Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce dance for the fans after the club survived relegation We scored three goals and it should have been five or six, that says everything about us today.We were defensively sound and the front lads [were good] despite us getting three goals from set pieces - we should have had more.The attitude of the players, who absorbed the pressure and delivered a performance like that, got us out of trouble. Thats what happened over the last 10 games, weve only had one defeat and weve picked points up. Watch the three goals that saved Sunderland from relegation The draws we got eventually turned into wins and thats led to us to getting safe with one game to go. Thats pretty miraculous and there is no way I wanted to go to Watford needing something.Wednesdays victory was of stark contrast to the corresponding fixture between the two sides, where Allardyce - three games into his tenure at the club - slipped to a 6-2 defeat.Fast forward six months and Allardyce has become the latest Sunderland manager to avoid the drop, an achievement he feels speaks volumes of the progress that has occurred under his tutelage. Newcastle were consigned to the Championship following Sunderlands win If you go back to our 6-2 defeat at Everton in that shows how far weve come, he added. It has been a long few months, particularly until I could bring in players in January.We turned into a team from January, we were difficult to beat and a team that didnt like losing again. The performance against Chelsea and the comeback has given us the momentum to win this game.The way we beat Chelsea was something we hadnt done this season and that gave the players a lot more confidence. Patrick van Aanholt scores from a free kick at the Stadium of light For Allardyce, thoughts now turn to masterminding the next step in Sunderlands progression away from a relegation-threatened side.Weve just secured the financial side of being in the Premier League which is the most important his season, he said.What that gives us in terms of spending power is the same as everybody, so it comes down to how wise we spend it.The next set of recruitment is crucial because this football club cannot be doing a lap of honour by avoiding relegation again. Also See: Sunderland safe as Toon drop WATCH: Goals that saved Black Cats Sunderlands saviours Quinn: Top 10 for Sunderland? Custom New Orleans Saints Jerseys . Smiths former Atlanta teammates were glad to hang on for an ugly win. Kurt Coleman Jersey . The star receiver certainly isnt celebrating it with the Texans mired in a franchise-record 13-game skid. http://www.authenticfootballshopsaints.com/Youth-Kurt-Coleman-Elite-Jersey/ . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hey Kerry, I was watching the NBC coverage of Sundays Canadiens-Rangers game, and Mike Milbury and Ed Olczyk went off on the Canadiens for over-selling and embellishing to sell calls. In the third period, Carl Hagelin hit Alexei Emelin with a high stick and Emelin went down like a ton of bricks. Embellishment? Probably, but it didnt change the fact that it was a high stick. Did the sell by Emelin negate the high stick and the official basically said, "play on?" Or was this just a missed call? Morgan,New York, NY Morgan: I believe the play that you are referring to occurred with 8:24 remaining in the third period and the score tied at two. Carl Hagelin attempted a dump-in shot from the centre red line. Alexei Emelin lowered his posture to execute an active stick sweep check and contacted the puck as Hegelin was in the act of shooting. Emelin was legitimately struck in the mouth area with the blade of Haglins stick on the follow-through of an attempted shot. Emelins reaction to rotate his body away from the stick contact, then fall and grab his mouth was reasonable and not an effort to embellish and draw a foul. A player is permitted accidental contact on an opponent if committed in a normal windup or follow through of a shooting motion. No penalty was warranted to Hagelin on this play. I concur with Mike Milbury and Eddie Os analysis with regard to obvious embellishment committed by PK Subban and Tomas Plekanec in the second period of Sunday nights game. Even though the stick of Rick Nash did catch Subban in the face the upward launch with both legs was not a natural reaction or fall from being struck in that manner. Plekanecs theatrical performance was the absolute worst when he threw his head back and grabbed at his face after the flat blade of Brian Boyles stick slapped nothing but shoulder pad! Even though Boyles stick did not quite fit the criteria of a "high stick (above the height of the opponents shoulders) it was used in a careless manner and could certainly result in a slashing pennalty. Cameron Meredith Jersey. Plekanecs embellishment was also worthy of a penalty that should have resulted in an on-ice numerical strength of four aside. Given Plekanecs blatant overreaction it could even been deemed a stand alone embellishment penalty if the ref wanted to send a clear message but I doubt he would receive much support. Power plays and special teams can often be the difference in these games as we have seen. Once the referees are fooled into calling a penalty or fail to respond to efforts of embellishment on a play the floodgates can open up without so much as a splash on the frozen pond. In the first round of these current playoffs there were six diving/embellishment penalties assessed. None were a stand alone diving penalty but deemed to be embellishment that was committed following the initial infraction. The first two embellishment penalties were assessed in Game 2 against Mats Zuccarello and Derek Dorsett of the Rangers in their 4-2 loss to the Flyers. The Rangers management was not impressed with those penalty calls and expressed their displeasure to the series supervisor. I wonder if the Ranger brass is singing the same tune after Sunday night. Since joining TSN in January of 2011 I have stated on numerous occasions the need to clean up the unmanly act of diving. When uncalled, embellishment rewards cheaters. I am often asked how the ref can call both an initial penalty and a dive; isnt it one or the other? In reality, embellishment is most often committed after a player has been legitimately fouled. When that occurs both illegal acts should be penalized. Three years ago I suggested that a double minor penalty be assessed to the diver when he was legitimately fouled and the referee was calling a minor penalty. It would take some guts for the refs to impose a strict standard on a call like this but the game would be better for it. The referees also have to know their calls would receive the full support of management. Until players that embellish are penalized by the referees and held accountable by the League with published fines and suspensions as prescribed in rule 64.3, this illegal act will continue to plague the game. Its time for everyone involved to man-up. Wholesale USA Soccer Jerseysdiscount uswnt jerseyWholesale AC Milan JerseysWholesale Arsenal JerseysWholesale A.S. Roma JerseysWholesale Atletico Madrid JerseysWholesale Chelsea JerseysCheap Barcelona JerseysBayern Munich Jerseys For SaleCheap Borussia Dortmund JerseysCheap Inter Milan JerseysJuventus Jerseys From ChinaLeicester City Jerseys For SaleDiscount Liverpool JerseysWholesale Manchester City JerseysManchester United Jerseys For SaleWholesale Paris Saint-Germain JerseysReal Madrid Jerseys From ChinaCheap Sevilla JerseysAuthentic Tottenham Hotspur Jerseys ' ' '