This is where Pete Sixsmith records his instant verdict, in seven words, on each Sunderland game. Thirty-five minutes in, we were stumbling towards a dreadful defeat, a combination of Craig Gardner’s weakness for giving away penalties and atrocious defending of a counter-break. Fortunately, Gardner can bang them in from the spot as well and did so a minute or so after the second. A second-half onslaught should have produced two goals to win the game but, in the end, the draw was salvaged only after Simon Mignolet superbly defied Berbatov’s fabulous opportunity to put it beyond our reach …
March 2 2013 SAFC 2 (1) Fulham (2) 2 Better in second half after woeful first
Feb 27 1973 FA Cup 5th round replay SAFC 3 (2) Manchester City 1 (0) City slickers subdued by scintillating Sunderland show
Feb 24 1973 FA Cup 5th round Manchester City 2 (1) SAFC 2 (1) Magnificent performance that belies our lowly status
Feb 23 2013 West Bromwich Albion 2 (1) SAFC 1 (0) Another disappointment. Looking over our shoulders again
Feb 9 2013 SAFC 0 (0) Arsenal 1 (1) *Second half fightback fails to earn point
Feb 2 2013 Reading 2 (1) SAFC 1 (1) *More points thrown away by shoddy defending
Jan 29 2013 SAFC 0(0) Swansea City 0(0) Be thankful Swansea don’t have a Fletcher
Jan 19 2013 Wigan Athletic (1) 2 SAFC (3) 3 Important win but nerves shredded at end
Jan 15 2013 FA Cup Third Round replay: SAFC (0) 0 Bolton Wanderers (0) 2 What a difference three days make: awful
Jan 12 2013 SAFC (1) 3 West Ham United (0) 0 Great show by Vaughan inspired comfortable win
Jan 5 2013 FA Cup Third Round: Bolton Wanderers (1) 0 SAFC (0) 2 *A Gardner wonder strike saves the day
Jan 2 2013 Liverpool (2) 3 SAFC (0) 0 Our heads went down second half – worrying
Dec 29 2012 SAFC (1) 1 Tottenham Hotspur (0) 2 Nearly a draw but not quite there
Dec 26 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Manchester City (0) 0 What a wonderful way to spend Boxing Day
Dec 23 2012 Southampton (0) 0 SAFC (1) 1 Jingle bells, jingle bells, Sunderland win away <
Dec 16 2012 Manchester United (2) 3 SAFC (0) 1 Dismal first half defending cost us dear
Dec 11 2012 SAFC (2) 3 Reading (0) 0 Just a comfortable win against poor oppositon
Dec 8 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Chelsea (2) 3 Far better performance than the scoreline suggests
Dec 2 2012 Norwich City (2) 2 SAFC (1) 1 Took too long to get into game.
And read Monsieur Salut at ESPN: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/sunderland/id/710?cc=5739
Nov 27 2012 SAFC (0) 0 Queens Park Rangers (0) 0 Won’t see a poorer game all season
Nov 23 2012 SAFC (0) 2 West Bromwich Albion (2) 4 Ridiculous scoreline but too many basic errors
Nov 18 2012 Fulham 1 (0) SAFC 3 (0) Good goals, better performance, 3 important points
Nov 10 2012 Everton (0) 2 SAFC (1) 1 Chances created, which is progress. Much better
Nov 3 2012 SAFC 0 (0) Aston Villa 1 (0) Another abject performance. A long winter looms
Oct 30 2012 Capital One Cup Fourth Round: SAFC 0 (0) Middlesbrough 1 (1) Plan B even worse than plan A
Oct 27 2012 Stoke City (0) 0 SAFC (0) 0 Don’t bother with MoTD: a real stinker
Oct 21 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Newcastle United (1) 1 Got out of jail. Just about deserved
Oct 6 2012 Manchester City (1) 3 SAFC (0) 0 Never gave up but City simply better.
Sept 29 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Wigan Athletic (0) 0 Scrappy performance but a win’s a win
Sept 25 2012 Capital One Cup 3rd Round: MK Dons (0) 0 SAFC (0) 2 Second goal settles nerves for comfortable win
Sept 22 2012 West Ham United (0) 1 SAFC (1) 1 Need to be more positive when ahead
Sept 15 2012 SAFC (1) Liverpool (0) 1 More than happy to take a point
Sept 1 2012 Swansea City (1) 2 SAFC (2) 2 *Lack of ambition against 10 cost points
Aug 28 2012 Capital One Cup Round 2: SAFC (1) 2 Morecambe (0) 0 Shrimps potted as we stroll to victory
Aug 18 2012 Arsenal (0) 0 SAFC (0) 0 Gritty, determined and a well earned point
To see Sixer’s Sevens in full, click here.
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