If we fail to win promotion at the first attempt this season, it may not be because of our inability to keep a clean sheet or hold onto a lead but through a lack of discipline. For the third time this season we had a player sent off and for the second time our keeper has to save a penalty. Listening to Barnes and Benno, the closing minutes of this game was real heart in the mouth stuff. Would we hang on? The final minutes were made just that little bit easier when the hosts also had a player shown the red card.
Pete Sixsmith was there and as always will bring us his detailed report of what was a nail biting game tomorrow. But for now make do with his instant seven match summary of a game in a league which is anything but boring.
Oct 6 Bradford City 1 (0) Sunderland 2 (1) Great win but Power made it difficult
Oct 2 Sunderland 2 (1) Peterborough 2 (0) Good point but spoiled by woeful refereeing
Sept 29 Coventry City (0) 1 Sunderland (0) 1 Fair result that could have been worse
Sept 22 Sunderland 4 (3) Rochdale 1 (0) Fifteen minute purple patch wrapped this up
Sept 15 Burton Albion 2 (2) Sunderland 1 (o) Weaknesses horribly exposed in a deserved defeat
Sept 8 Sunderland 1 (1) Fleetwood Town 1 (1) Huffed and puffed against very difficult opponents
Sept 4 Sunderland 0 (0) [4] Stoke City U21s 0 (0) [2] *Decent workout for young guns and recoverees
Sept 8 Sunderland A (a) Fleetwood Town B (b)
Sept 1 Sunderland 1 (0) Oxford United 1 (1 ) Poor first half, dug in well second
Aug 19 Sunderland 3 (3) Scunthorpe United 0 (0) Iron pummeled as three lusty blows delivered
Aug 16 Carabao Cup: Sunderland (0) 0 Sheffield Wednesday (1) 2 Result disappointing but plenty to enthuse about
Aug 11 Luton Town (0) 1 Sunderland (1) 1 Played well in patches against solid opposition
Aug 4 Sunderland (0) 2 Charlton Athletic (1) 1 A great day for club and academy
July 21 St Mirren (0) 0 Sunderland (2) 6 * Cracking results like this will suit fine
July 17 Grimsby Town (0) Sunderland (1) 1 *Gooch’s header from Maguire’s cross settles matters
July 14 Hartlepool United (1) 1 Sunderland (0) 1 Yet to see anything to inspire confidence
July 10 Darlington (1) 1 Sunderland (0) 0 Embarrassing
However much we’re paying Jon McLaughlin, he’s more than earning it. And CSB’s right about Cattermole… give a dog a bad name.
Five things:
1. Max Power, the man, the legend and the myth… as much as I love his play, after that act of stupidity the Captains arm band should be beyond him, it could have cost us dearly.
2. McGeouch knows how to put in a shift, when he was needed he was there, an unsung hero, took up the mantle when Cats was rather harshly booked, Catts reputation unfortunately precedes him.
3. The ref, well not as bad as some we have seen this season but about this leagues standard, was lucky not to lose it near the end.
4. Our keeper, was left cruelly exposed for their equalizer (did everybody just freeze and watch the ball?) but made some crucial saves and stopped the penalty as well. We have a Sunderland legend in the making.
5. The away support were fantastic, never let up. Need I say more, the beating heart of the Club.
2. Should have read Maguire, McGeouch did what he was asked to.