Sunderland 1-1 West Ham
The early part of this season has been a story of missed opportunities and what-might-have-beens. Time after time, fans and players have been left thinking about ifs and buts when results really haven’t matched performances. And this match was no different as Sunderland, once again failed to convert chances and pressure into goals.
I don’t like West Ham and never really have. They have never really done one thing to us that sticks in my mind over everything else but they just seem to have hurt us on so many occasions. They always do well against us at our place and, barring last year, I haven’t had many happy trips down to Upton Park, not to mention the fact that their fans are second, only behind the mags, in the chip on the shoulder stakes and the press seem to praise them at every, miniscule opportunity. So it’s always nice to do one over them. No, not in the way the Southern press do, but the way we should have done on Saturday afternoon.
Right from the off, it seemed apparent that the game was going to be very open as both teams attacked with intent and both defences looked shaky. Welsh immediately and ably took the place of the injured Arca, swinging in a beautiful cross early on in proceedings, which deserved better from Andy Gray. Yet within minutes, it was West Ham who created the next chance as Davis had to pull off a brilliant, diving save from Harewood. However, after those two opportunities the game settled down with the only excitement coming from the emergence of greedy, greedy Bellion from the Hammers’ dug-out. But just as the first half looked like ending in a stalemate Lawrence, who earlier replaced the injured Bassila, latched onto a Hoyte cross before watching his shot get parried. Luckily enough, Tommy Miller, jumped on the rebound, firing high into the roof of the net, meaning Sunderland fans could, for once, go into half time, satisfied. Their delight would have been increased when viewing the terrific half-time entertainment put on by the football club. It’s very rare fans get to see such a fine footballing specimen make such a fine cock-up of nearly every penalty. Thankyou Mr. Anderson.
Yet, although it promised so much, the second half wasn’t such a joyful affair. The Lads set out to end the game there and then but couldn’t, for all they tried, muster up a goal. They saw a corner fly into the back of the net off Ferdinand’s back only for it to be wrongly disallowed. This came during a sustained period of Sunderland pressure, firing up the biggest crowd in the country on Saturday to create a brilliant atmosphere. Brilliant attacks were followed up by horrific goalmouth scramble’s as the Lads tried to find a way to put the ball in the back of the net. Whitehead saw his goal-bound shot cannon off the back of Andy Gray and, with that, you could tell it just wasn’t going to be. All it took was one break from the Hammers as Benayoun stole away from the defence to roll the ball pass Davis. It was another crushing equaliser, resurrecting the horrible memories of West Brom, seemingly erased after our first win. But we’re out the relegation and can go into the next two, massive matches buoyed by our unbeaten which now stretches a huge, 4 matches.
Man of The Match: Nyron, Nyron, Nyron, Nyron.
Matthew Woolston
