Returning Town striker Freddie Sears says the Blues were comfortable once they scored their goals in Saturday’s 2-0 victory against Sunderland with the atmosphere at the Stadium of Light a less than hostile one.
Joe Garner gave the Blues the lead on 35 and Adam Matthews turned a Grant Ward cross into his own net ahead of Sears for the second in first-half injury time.
The 48,707-capacity Stadium of Light, where Town had never previously won and had lost on their previous seven visits, was half-empty as the Blues took on the second-bottom Black Cats.
While the gate was officially 27,909, the actual crowd watching the game was thought to be a lot lower with all clubs including non-attending season ticket holders in their attendance total.
"You could see Sunderland’s heads dropped as soon as we scored the first goal,” Sears said.
"Goals change games because they started well and were on top, so we had to weather a bit of a storm.
"We knew if we could get the first goal it would change everything. After the second goal, it really did turn. You see it all the time, teams at the bottom.
"They have a spell and as soon as they go behind, it’s the same old story as if ‘here we go again’. We’ve been in that position and we know what it feels like.
"Especially at a stadium like this, it’s a Premier League stadium, so when they’re struggling in the Championship and getting beaten by a lot of teams, you know their fans are going to turn and that can only be a good thing for the opposition.
"Coming to a ground like this can play into the hands of the opposition, you raise your game, the facilities are great.
"Their team is struggling so it’s a nice place to come to play your football. There’s no hostility against you, nothing like that. As soon as we got the goals, it felt very comfortable.”
Sears was making his first start since Boxing Day and is still looking for his first senior goal of 2017/18 having last scored in the 3-1 home victory over Newcastle in April, now 30 appearances ago.
The 28-year-old says the own goal wasn’t one he could claim, despite his team-mates' attempts to make it look like his.
"I think the lads wanted me to have it, the way they celebrated with me,” he added. "But it’s going to go down as an own goal.”
Meanwhile, the Town U23s are in action against Colchester United at their Florence Park training ground this afternoon (KO 1pm).