Here Pete Sixsmith captures the glory and shame, hope and despair, excitement and ennui of the Sunderland matchday experience. When, rarely, Pete is absent or delayed, a supersub does it for him and the seven-word verdict is preceded by an asterisk. Pete’s full analysis of the game will usually appear within a day or two.
After the heroics at the Etihad stadium last week, today brought another creditable draw against top-notch opposition – this time without the sense that we really ought to have won – in the early game at home to Spurs. Absorbing, said Nick Barnes; fair, said Gary Bennett; well satisfied, implied Sixer’s verdict (below).
At half time, the impression gained from a reasonable internet stream was confirmed in Sixer’s text from the East stand: ”Good first half: cool, calm and collected.”
That was how it still looked (or rather sounded, since the stream had got itself stuck in the half-time highlights) as the final whistle came. Perhaps Spurs had enjoyed the lion’s share of possession; we had been happy to contain them while frequently threatening, especially when Seb Larsson was whipping in superb crosses from set pieces.
Martin O’Neill’s musings will appear in due course.
The full Sixer’s Sevens archive – see link below – sums up what all Sunderland supporters feel, from darkest gloom to sublime elation, in the words of one who is usually there …
April 7 2012 SAFC (0) 0 Tottenham Hotspur (0) 0 More than matched a Champions League side
March 31 2012 Manchester City (1) 3 SAFC (2) 3 How frustrating when we deserved three points
March 27 2012 FA CUP 6th round replay: SAFC (0) 0 Everton (1) 2 Everton simply better. Hope they win it.
March 24 2012 SAFC (1) 3 Queens Park Rangers (0) 1 Played very well and won with ease
March 20 2012 Blackburn Rovers (0) 2 SAFC (0) 0 Very disappointing. We looked tired and uninterested
March 17 2012 FA Cup 46h round: Everton (1) 1 SAFC (1) 1 Started well, on top but pushed back
March 10 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Liverpool (0) 0 Better by far than an average Liverpool
Click this text: just £9.50, post free, at the Salut! Sunderland Shop
To see Sixer’s Sevens in full, click here. If an asterisk precedes the comment, the words that follow are the work of someone else becauseMarch 31 2012 Manchester City (1) 3 SAFC (2) 3 How frustrating when we deserved three points
March 27 2012 FA CUP 6th round replay: SAFC (0) 0 Everton (1) 2 Everton simply better. Hope they win it.
March 24 2012 SAFC (1) 3 Queens Park Rangers (0) 1 Played very well and won with ease
March 20 2012 Blackburn Rovers (0) 2 SAFC (0) 0 Very disappointing. We looked tired and uninterested
March 17 2012 FA Cup 46h round: Everton (1) 1 SAFC (1) 1 Started well, on top but pushed back
March 10 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Liverpool (0) 0 Better by far than an average Liverpool
March 4 2012 Newcastle United (0) 1 SAFC (1) 1Players gave everything and deserved to win