We rightly point to the Mannone saves, Ki’s creativity and composure, Wes Brown’s rocklike defending. Let’s hear it for Phil Bardsley, not yet forgiven by all but playing an important role in Sunderland and Adam Johnson’s improved form. The man himself tells the Hartlepool Mail “the boys are willing to throw their bodies on the line and run through brick walls for each other. That’s what it’s all about at this football club” …
Pete Sixsmith is beginning to feel spoilt. A couple of nights after seeing the Lads waltz to victory at the home of football’s current laughing stock, he was at the Stadium of Light for a visit from the Newcastle Development Squad to play ours. The winning habit was not broken …
Pete Sixsmith reflects on a highly satisfactory weekend and what it means for Sunderland’s games to come ….
Forty eight hours after that momentous lunchtime at The Sports Direct. I was still buzzing.
Who can blame us? We’ll all be dining out on this for the rest of the season, with double helpings if Gus Poyet’s revival continues …Monsieur Salut is on strong, strictly no-alcohol anti-biotics which could hardly have been more badly timed.
The Fall of the Geordie Nation, once again was witnessed by Pete Sixsmith up in the SJP gods amongst the delirious Sunderland support. Today not one but two sevens as we revel in the euphoria. Three wins in a row for Sunderland in the Wear-Tyne-Wear derbies and each one of them throughly deserved. A magnificent team performance brought goals by Fabio Borino from a cast-iron penalty after Bardo was brought down, Adam Johnson sweeping in after the excellent Jack Colback’s shot was pushed into his path by Tim Krul and finally Colback himself with a classy finish from Borini’s perfect pass. Jozy Altidore – who otherwise had a first-class game – ought to have bagged one, too, but was dispossessed by Krul as he tried to round him. And Johnson deserved a second for a delicious run and shot but hit the post with Krul beaten. But the winning display went far beyond the clinical finishing; Wes Brown, John O’Shea, Marcos Alonso and Phil Bardsley were rock-like in front of the capable Vito Mannone, whilst Ki and new boy Liam Bridcutt did their bits in midfield …
Feb 1 2014 Newcastle United (0) Sunderland (2) 3 #1 Wonderful performance from Mannone through to Borini #2 A bad night for Tyneside’s equine population
Deputy Editor Malcolm Dawson writes….
This has been a strange sort of season so far. Ensconced as we have been at the foot of the table for so much of the season, there has still been plenty of optimism around. Many of us have been of the opinion that Gus Poyet’s team would turn around the early season form and crawl up the table away from the relegation zone. A run of games that saw the team lose only twice in eleven games, one of which resulted in a trip to Wembley, should inspire confidence. But of course this is Sunderland and we are Sunderland supporters. The home games that remain should all be winnable, yes even Everton, but it is at home where the team has arguably been the most disappointing. Fulham and Aston Villa are two games which we thought should guarantee three points and both were frustrating to watch as we crumpled to defeat. It certainly makes attending games at the Stadium of Light difficult at times. Last night was another which added weight to that argument, but thankfully this time the result was the one we hoped for. Later than usual here is Pete Sixsmith’s measured view of the 1-0 victory over Stoke City …
Any victory is a good victory if you are in the kind of brown stuff that we have been in all season. A third league triumph on home soil and against a team that are down there with us has to be a cause for rejoicing and rejoice I did. We are out of the bottom three for the first time since August and a draw at Southampton – the only one we got under the absolutely not missed Paolo Di Canio.
You may have noticed the ad already. Salut! Sunderland‘s latest little collaboration is with Campo Retro, which markets snappy SAFC-related …
I may have used that headline before. I hope the last bit – “not 5-1” – is not only right …
As time crept on, I feared I had left it too late to find a warm, witty or wise Newcastle fan for the pre-derby ‘Who are You?’. Then Pete Sixsmith came up with Brian Neil*, a Gateshead-born, Bishop-by-adoption lad with a fondness for exclamation marks and mild profanity. Brian is an ideal interviewee: bags to say for himself and lots of strong views on things Toon to like and dislike (he very unhappy about the Pardew/Kinnear axis), as befits a season ticket holder who has attended every derby since 1981. He roundly – and rightly – rebukes Monsieur Salut for misuse of the word ‘great’ and is otherwise a very good read despite everything …
Sunderland rarely take the easy route. One up after 25 minutes against moderate opponents who go down to 10 men in the second half. And who has to soak up the pressure? You guessed. All the same, Pete Sixsmith saw as mighty a win as they come, one taking Sunderland out of the bottom three for the first time since the second week of the season …:
