Pete Sixsmith would have enjoyed this, but was nowhere near Scotland as Jack Ross went back to his last club, St Mirren, and saw his developing Sunderland side romp home 6-0.
(See the highlights here at safc.com)
Pete has been tasting pasties and footie down in Cornwall and will not catch another Sunderland game until the League One season kicks off. Ross’s admiring post-match comments confirmed the adage that when pre-season games go well, they are no longer ‘just about fitness’. The goals came from Josh Maja (2), Lynden Gooch (2), George Honeyman and Luke Molyneux. Apologies to Gooch – we thought it was Molyneux who’d also bagged two.
For this match, we’ll just run a contingency supersub’s verdict in place of Sixer’s usual seven-word summation (and for sake of completeness add ones from the Darlington and Grimsby games, too, though Pete was there for the former).
And while we’re on, does the Maja double act, and goals from midfield, suggest our striker woes are not quite so dire as has been suggested? We’ll see …
The Sunderland team was: McLaughlin; Love (Hume, 80), Ozturk (Taylor, 84), Flanagan, Matthews; Cattermole (Mumba, 74), McGeouch (Hackett, 84), Honeyman (Kimpioka, 84); Maguire, Gooch (Molyneux, 78), Maja Subs: Stryjek
Read more at: https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/impressive-sunderland-hit-st-mirren-for-six-in-convincing-friendly-win-1-9263069
An asterisk preceding any seven-word verdict shows it was not Sixer’s own (we’ve cheated a little with Darlo)…
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 defeat kicks off the new era
Excellent result , just what the doctor ordered. As long as we can avoid a thumping away at the Boro on Friday , this pre season has seen a steady progression and confidence coming back . It’s imperative that as well as adding to the squad no more of our young guns are sold, Asoro was one too many .A pre season humiliation against a Scottish team set the tone for last season , let’s hope this result does the reverse for the next one .
I suspect Asoro might regret his decision if, as I suspect, he doesn’t get the game time at Swansea he would have got with us.
I am in total agreement with Jack Ross’s decision not to involve those players who have not bought into his and the new owners’ plans. It would seem that Honeyman and Cattermole are giving their all and while I know there are plenty out there who want to see Catts moved on I never feel he gives lest than 100%.
It is encouraging that so many players who have come up through the academy and U23s are getting game time. Nice to see Maja on the score sheet and though Gooch has been on the fringe for a while, I remember identifying him as the “player most likely” when people were beginning to rave about Asoro.
But I hope supporters will remember that this is a period of transition and get behind the team right from the start of the season. My worry is that if we aren’t beating Charlton after 20 minutes, or heaven forbid go behind, the whingers and the boo-boys and girls will set the tone for the season.
I don’t usually make much noise in the ground and I suspect Wrinkly Pete doesn’t either, but it could be up to those of us who know that negativity in the crowd only makes things worse, to out shout the moans and jeers.
Ha’way the Lads
Your suspicion let you down Malcolm. I am very noisy in my support and my only regret is when I let out an involuntary groan when something goes wrong, realising that thousands of us doing the same at the exact same time sounds awful – and negative. I would be happy to be part of an initiative that tries to silence the boo boys. Perhaps this website could use its connection(s) to do something – maybe an appropriately worded crowd surfer flag??
Apologies Pete. Don’t know why I assumed that. But like you I don’t believe in booing anyone, players, manager, subs who represent the club. I occasionally will shout at an incompetent ref and can get animated with opposition players. There was a picture in the Sunday Post of me vociferously chastising Robbie Savage at Filbert Street when he was indulging in one of his rolling around moments but while I’ll cheer and clap loudly when we do something well, I’m not one for singing or chanting even though I do feel that a loud support can inspire the team on the pitch just as the opposite is true.
In fact the last time I remember getting really animated at a match was at Gigg Lane when we sealed promotion in 1999.