The Black Cats bar had been converted into a Geordie safe haven. The hosts had gift-wrapped each goal. A nine-game unbeaten run in the Wear-Tyne derby had ended. However, worse was to come for Sunderland fans at full-time following this 3-0 defeat against arch-rivals Newcastle United.
Those who had not raced for the exits witnessed Jason Tindall organising players and staff into formation for a team photograph in front of the away end. All to the soundtrack of 6,000 delirious Newcastle fans chanting: 'Geordie boys - taking the p---!'
In the 126-year history of the Wear-Tyne derby, this picture was a once unthinkable first on Sunderland's own turf as the Stadium of Light turned black and white. Alexander Isak, who wrote himself into derby folklore with a second-half double, admitted 'we usually do it in the locker room - but there was no better way to do it'.
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You can see why Sean Longstaff called the FA Cup third-round win 'one of the best days I've had playing football'. Fellow Geordie Dan Burn said it was the 'happiest I've ever been getting booed'.
Most importantly, it was a return to winning ways for Newcastle, after seven defeats in their previous eight games, but the manner of this result was far from a foregone conclusion despite the gulf between these neighbours. The derby, after all, is a great leveller - as is the FA Cup for that matter. Newcastle knew that more than most after Howe's team were previously knocked out at this very stage of the competition by Sheffield Wednesday and Cambridge United.
Yet, as hostile as it got at the Stadium of Light, as scrappy as the contest was at times, an upset never looked on the cards on Saturday, particularly after Dan Ballard put through his own net in the first half. Newcastle, with all their know-how and experience, simply embraced the occasion without letting it get to them.
When Sunderland fans gathered to shout 'SCUM! SCUM! SCUM!' as Newcastle players got off the bus before the game, for instance, a smiling Burn cupped his ear. When Trai Hume ripped Anthony Gordon's shirt in the second half, the winger told him he could have it after the match. When Sunderland fans sang about Kieran Trippier's family, the defender merely pointed to the scoreboard. It was fire and ice - just as Eddie Howe had wanted.
"They were fired up," the Newcastle boss told reporters. "They knew the importance of the game. You can be too fired up in a negative way, but they were just right.
"We spoke about emotional control and keeping the game in perspective, doing the right things, the process of our performance, all the things we feel are really important. The players really responded to that.
"We didn't lose our control. We didn't give any flashpoints to the game. We stayed very much in the moment and delivered a good performance."
In truth, Newcastle were in control from the off. There were just two minutes on the clock when Miguel Almiron slipped Kieran Trippier in down on the overlap and the right-back's first-time cross was met by the head of Sean Longstaff, but goalkeeper Anthony Patterson used his chest to deny the Geordie a dream opener.
It was a move that set the tone in the early stages, though, as Newcastle repeatedly found joy down the right. Almiron played the ball down the line to Trippier once more midway through the half and the England international again hit his cross first-time to Longstaff. However, this time, the midfielder fired the ball over the bar.
It was still goalless, but Sunderland were struggling to get hold of the ball and Jack Clarke was dispossessed inside Newcastle's own half by the tireless Almiron just a few minutes later. Almiron threaded a ball through to send Isak on a footrace with Dan Ballard. The Sunderland defender pulled Isak to the ground as they both jostled for the ball, but no penalty was given despite the visitors' vocal protests.
Newcastle could have grown frustrated, but the dominant Magpies kept probing and they were rewarded in the 35th minute. Joelinton was sent racing down the left flank after playing a one-two with Bruno Guimaraes. Trai Hume failed to stop Joelinton with a botched challenge and the Brazil international had the second he needed to look up, spot the run of Isak and drill the ball across goal. Ballard knew Isak was lurking at the back post, but the sliding Sunderland defender ended up hooking the ball into his own net after attempting to put it over the bar.
Newcastle's tails were up and the visitors pushed for a second before the break - knowing the next goal in the game was going to be every bit as crucial as the first - and Almiron's acrobatic volley went just wide. Yet there was still only a goal in it and Trippier made it clear to his team-mates that 'we need to keep that tempo up' as the players walked down the tunnel at half-time. In the Sunderland dressing room, meanwhile, Black Cats boss Michael Beale spoke about being tidier in possession. Those words were ringing in the hosts' ears when they gave Newcastle another gift just a minute into the second half.
Pierre Ekwah turned into trouble, following Patterson's pass, and Almiron pounced, winning the ball back, before unselfishly squaring it to Isak, who did the rest to double Newcastle's advantage right in front of that sea of black and white behind the goal. A crestfallen Ekwah could only throw his shirt over his face.
However, Ekwah did not let his head drop as he looked to quickly atone and the Sunderland defender's long-range effort took a wicked deflection off Sven Botman, but Martin Dubravka managed to keep it out with his foot. Then Alex Pritchard clipped the top of the bar with a dipping effort from distance just before the hour mark.
Pritchard was starting to find more space, after Joelinton hobbled off with a thigh issue following Newcastle's second goal, and Nazariy Rusyn rose highest to head the ball back into the influential Sunderland playmaker's path. Newcastle defenders back-pedaled, inviting Pritchard to shoot, and he obliged - only for Dubravka to get down to his right and push the ball away.
It proved an important stop midway through the second half. A goal at that stage of the game could have set up a grandstand finish but, instead, Sunderland fans were soon sent streaming out after a panicked Ballard rushed across to bundle Gordon over late on. It was the easiest decision Craig Pawson had to make all afternoon as the referee pointed to the spot. Ice cool Isak stepped up and sent Patterson the wrong way to make it 3-0 - and send Newcastle into the fourth round.
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