Former Belvedere player Stephen Elliott netted his seventh league goal of the season as Sunderland came from behind to take victory over managerless Wolves on Tuesday night, November 2nd. - enough to see Mick McCarthy’s side into the top three of the Championship table.

The Irish under-21 hitman has made a major impression on Wearside so far this season, and his goal at the Stadium of Light, which put Sunderland into a lead they would never relinquish, took him to the top of the club’s scorer charts.

Elliott applied an exceptional finish in the 68th minute, turning onto Julio Arca’s pass to fire a thunderous drive past Michael Oakes and in off the crossbar.

The young Dubliner had come close to netting in the first half, only for Oakes to beat out his close range effort.

Kenny Miller had opened the scoring for Wolves, but Liam Lawrence – who had been mentioned as a potential Irish international last year – levelled after half-time, and Lawrence added his second of the night to make the points safe after Elliott’s lead goal.

Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy has eulogized about the bounteous talents of leading scorer Stephen Elliott, insisting the former Belvedere player possesses the kind of ability that cannot be transmitted by any amount of coaching.

Elliott has enjoyed a stunning debut season in senior football – his wonder-strike against Wolves on Tuesday night took his tally for the season to seven in the League, while he has also scored in the Carling Cup and for the Irish under-21 side since the move to Wearside.

The 20-year-old’s manager, who snapped him up on a free transfer from Manchester City in the summer, was full of praise for the Black Cats starlet – while he also admitted to a great degree of personal satisfaction in picking up players like him and fellow goalscorer Liam Lawrence on the cheap.

McCarthy said: "Stephen Elliott has got the ability to turn a game like that. The goalscoring ability he has, and some of the other things he does, you just cannot teach.

"He’s a natural goalscorer. We saw him do these kind of things in pre-season and that was a good indication of what he is like.

"It’s pleasing and rewarding when signings like Stephen and Liam Lawrence work out. They have given us real energy, pace, hunger and ambition. It’s nice when you get it right."