A relieved David Moyes knows there is plenty of work still to do after Sunderland ended its 10-match winless start to the Premier League season by coming from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1.
The visitors trailed to Dan Gosling's goal at Vitality Stadium on Saturday and, after Victor Anichebe had leveled, saw Steven Pienaar sent off for a second yellow card, a disbelieving Moyes looking on from the stands as the Scot served a one-match touchline ban following a misconduct charge.
But the Black Cats weathered the storm, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in inspired form, and came up with a winner when Anichebe was fouled in the box and Jermain Defoe converted from the spot to breathe new life into Sunderland's battle against the drop.
"It is a big relief, I never had any questions marks over the support of the owner or board," Moyes told Sky Sports."It is only one win, we don't move off the bottom of the league, [we] only look at [the] team above us and try and catch them.
"We played well and deserved the victory. We owed the supporters the victory, they have kept with us. We needed a win, it is only one, we need a few more. We got a bit of luck at the right time, we made it [luck] as well, we worked hard enough. We had to hang in and hope it is our day. We got our goal and Victor Anichebe and Jermain Defoe were fantastic. Ultimately the goalkeeper and back four did a great job today."
Sunderland is five points from safety and welcome fellow struggler Hull City to the Stadium of Light on Nov. 19.