Monsieur Salut says: for once in my life, I hardly blinked when an opposing side, Gillingham, took an early lead. I just knew we’d bounce back and almost from the re-start, that’s what we did. In what seems to have been a splendid first-half attacking display, Sunderland proceeded to go 3-1 up, Josh Maja adding a fourth in the second half. From Barnes and Benno, I gathered that we rode our luck on occasion but deserved the victory because we took our chances and Gillingham didn’t. ‘Job done,’ they agreed …
Pete Sixsmith was there, enjoying his first visit to Kent for a game involving SAFC, so it’s his seven-word verdict you see below. He’ll find dozens of non-league games to take in before the Wimbledon game on Saturday but this is as good a start as he could have imagined to his travels down south …
Aug 22 Gillingham (1) 1 Sunderland (3) 4 Wrapped up in an explosive 15 minutes
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
Isn’t this a strange feeling? For at least two seasons now going a goal down, particularly last season, meant half the crowd didn’t come back after half-time. Away games I threw so many radios out the window as I new the game was over within 10 mins.
Now we’ve come back from a goal down in 2/4 games and the best thing about it I wasn’t surprised. Tonight I just thought “Gills you’ve gone and annoyed the lads now…” sure enough 3-1 up in no time.
Yes, what a strange feeling.