Speaking after the Black Cats had chalked up their fifth successive win by beating Nottingham Forset 1-0 at the Satdium of Light, McCarthy said: "It was a tight game but sometimes earlier in the season when we were lookingfor a goal we could not get one.
"We've got 19 games left and some teams are striving to get into the Premiership and some are scrapping to stay up.
"I've experienced it before where I have had to settle for the play-offs and if we have to settle for it again, so be it. But we want a top-two spot and I'll be spewing if we don't get it.
"We were not as fluent as we had been earlier in the season but it's nice to win 1-0. Thankfully we got a goal after having one disallowed, otherwise I would have been frothing at the mouth.
"If Stephen Wright did not get a touch it was a bizarre celebration. I find it strange how the referee's assistant had a better view. I don't know how he could actually see it."