It's okay to believe again - Derby Report

It’s generally accepted that good things don’t happen to us Sunderland supporters. Not these days. Days of winning trophies and having great teams were for other generations. ‘Great times’ we get told, but it we can only imagine what it was like as we’ve never come close of late.

So, when we’re 1-1 going into injury time in a game we really need to win against the league leaders, we resign ourselves to accept our fate. ‘Tried but didn’t have the quality’ would be the manager’s words. ‘We we’re lucky to hang on for a draw’ would say the opposition. ‘Have to settle for the play-offs’ we’d say. ‘Unlucky’ they’d say.

Not this time. Not any more.

Pre-game the main worry was around whether Simpson would be fit. Not only has he done well since he’s come in but if he missed out it would have meant Nosworthy moving to right back in his place and that would be a shame, given he’s fast becoming one of our most influential players.

However Simpson was fit and Miller and Hysen came back in along with the returning Ward. Stokes was left out of the sixteen.

It was a fairly sloppy start, perhaps reflecting the nerves in one or two on both sides and with neither team having much of an upper hand it was plain to see these were 2 quite well matched teams. Massive credit to Keane and the players to have got to that level so quickly.

Slowly though we began to take more control. Edwards again was the main threat as he stretches play so much taking the ball right to the touch line. Several crosses came in, from both sides but they just never found their man. However, just before the half hour the first bizarre event of a surreal day occurred. A cross from the right came in and was cleared straight out for a throw. As the ball went into the crowd in the west stand, everyone started cheering. ‘There up for it’ I thought. Then it slowly dawned on the rest of the ground that a penalty had been awarded. I still don’t know why and I don’t really care. After a bit of a whinge from the Derby players, Connolly stepped up to put us 1-0 up and end the ridiculously long penalty drought. Maybe we’ll get a full seasons worth in the next few weeks?

Straight away Derby came back and we had to batten the hatches down. Nosworthy and Evans again were superb and fully in control. Derbys game pretty much consisted of high balls to Howard and the others fed from the flick-ons but the defence snuffed this out fairly easily in the first half. A couple more chances came our way later in the half as Derbys resurgence ebbed away but a goal up at half time was most welcome.

Second half and it was obvious they’d had words in their dressing room. Giles Barnes came on to play up front and from the off they came at Sunderland with wave after wave of attack. It was a completely different side and we couldn’t get out of our half. Balls were coming back as quickly as they were going up to our front men and it seemed only a matter of time we’d concede. And so we did. A great individual goal by Barnes as he pirouetted and sidestepped through the Sunderland defence to stick the ball past Ward. All square and all to play for, except they had the momentum.

However they game changed as quick again. Murphy came on for John and Derby went straight back to their original setup with Barnes going back to midfield. They seemed to be content they’d scored and happy to leave with a point. It was a strange decision as if they kept going we were probably there for the taking. From then however Murphy started to win balls up front and keep it and we got men further forward as a result.

Now it was Sunderland after the goal and 10 minutes left Murphy got an opening on the edge of the box only to see his shot came straight back off the post. Maybe that was our chance. In the past it would have been.

However as injury time entered its 3rd and final minute Derby had a corner. They couldn’t have taken longer to take it if they tried. ‘Score from this and I’ll smash my seat’ I’d vowed to myself, such would have been the injustice. The corner was cleared and the ball came up field. Leadbitter, who by then had come on the left wing, got the ball, cut inside and swung a speculative cross over. From nowhere Liam Miller rose and glanced a header that nestled in the corner of the net. In the goal, not past it, not over it. In the goal. We’d scored a last minute winner, against the league leaders, our rivals. Unbelievable. Cue delirium. The referee started the game then blew up 10 seconds later, cue delirium again. A massive 3 points were ours.

So, maybe the days of good stuff not happening anymore are gone. Maybe this is a new Sunderland, a Roy Keane Sunderland where better things are expected and being ‘unlucky’ and ‘trying hard’ just aren’t enough. Maybe we’ll win the league, we probably won’t but it’s okay to believe that we can now as it might just happen. And we might be on the start of something really good. We might not and this might be me being over-romantic after a great win but I don’t think so, not this time.

Man of the match – Dwight Yorke

Report by marcopaul

Rockin's rant

Today was always going to be a big day in shaping our season and if anyone expected it to be a comfortable win for Sunderland they were well wide of the mark. Roy Keane brought Darren Ward back into the team after suffering from a hamstring injury, Liam Miller replaced Whitehead who was suspended and Tobias Hysen came in for Anthony Stokes who dropped out of the squad completely. Although today’s attendance of 36,049 is very good for a Championship team, I personally felt it was a poor show from our fans considering we were playing the team top of the league and we had a lot of momentum going into the game, hopefully though after today’s result fans will keep flocking back.

The opening of the game was very tense with neither side wanting to allow any slip ups and was mainly played in the middle of the park. Neither side really got a grip of the game so there weren’t very many clear cut chances. On the 24th minute everyone in the ground was in for a massive shock, as we were awarded a penalty! After not having a penalty for 63 games it was surreal to have one now and we’d almost forgot what it was like to have one. David Connolly stepped up to take the penalty and coolly sent the Derby ‘keeper the wrong way. A fantastic penalty to give us the lead and we should have scored a second straight after, unfortunately John headed wide from Edwards’ cross. We were in control for the rest of the half and never really looked under too much pressure from the supposed best team in the league.

The atmosphere was absolutely electric during the first half and some praise has to go to the Derby fans for helping the atmosphere, though our fans were fantastic.

Derby pilled on the pressure in the second half and for the first 20 minutes or so of the second half we were unable to get out of our own half and attack them. The introduction of Barnes was a massive substitution for Derby. Derby almost pulled level through Howard but thankfully Hysen was on the line to clear the ball away. Derby always looked like scoring and they did on the hour mark through Barnes who walked past the Sunderland defenders on the edge of the box and smashed his shot past Ward. The surprising thing from Derby was that they seemed happy enough to reshuffle their pack to a more defensive look and settle for a draw, for a team which is aiming to play in the Premier League next season they didn’t show too much enthusiasm to try and win.

Derby’s goal seemed to shock us into life and we began to build some momentum going forward and looked more threatening, though we didn’t create too many clear cut opportunities. We kept pushing forward but time was running out and I was beginning to think the play-offs would be the best we could aim for as a draw wouldn’t have been good enough. Into the dying few minutes and Leadbitter gained a yard on two defenders and whipped in a fantastic ball into the box, Liam Miller had made a terrific run from midfield and glanced his header into the bottom corner. Fantastic scenes erupted from the goal, which lead to most if not all of the players jumping into the crowd. I can’t remember the last time I walked out of the Stadium of Light and was met with laughing and smiling faces from people going past, it was fantastic to see and long overdue.

MOTM – A hard decision as it was very much a team game and no-one really shone out from the rest of the players, despite this I believe Nyron Nosworthy was our top performer and was a rock in the heart of defence.

Despite things beginning to look up there is still a long way to go and a lot of hard work to be done before anything is achieved.

Wiggum's Whinge

That moment has to be up there with one of the greatest experiences at the Stadium of Light as pandemonium and mayhem ensued after the vital goal against Derby in the last kick (flick), of the game pushed us only three points behind the league leaders. After I had picked myself up off the floor, and pushing off the man on top of me, looking around the Stadium filled me with both pride and belief that we are going to make it. This was not only a great goal to kill off a team who are above us only by a point but also adds to the unbeaten record in 2007 that we can happily take into The Hawthorns next weekend. That is the reason why no fan should leave before the final whistle as it proves that moments like those will never be forgotten. The last minute goal that could possibly be the most crucial point in our season, is that feeling better than avoiding traffic jams...no.

Keane who is now famous for his tinkering with the squad made two changes but were decisions that any one of us would have made. Fulop who looks shaky at times was replaced by Darren Ward and Miller came in for the suspended Deano. Simpson who at times looked very confident and made some crucial interceptions passed the late fitness test, but as the game wore on he made some simple mistakes that could of cost us. Derby who basically came to frustrate and batter the Sunderland squad had Howard who impressed as the target man but never really got into the 1st half at all.

The game was scrappy at times and the players seemed to know that any one mistake could cost vital points in a promotion race that keeps gathering momentum every game. Jonny Evans was again superb and won his battles all over the pitch and even provided an attacking outlet when he bombed forward from the centre back position he has grown to love. What I would give to see him sign a permanent contract if we did manage to get promoted...star in the making.

The first chance fell to Sunderland who looked bright going forward and using Edwards pace as an option on the right hand side to good effect. Connolly who was played through by Hysen beat his marker with ease only for his low drilled shot to drag across the goalmouth and wide for a goal-kick. Simpson made an error to give the ball away to Howard only for Nosworthy to cover and prevent any real damage. A special mention has to be said for not only Evans contribution in this battling performance but just how much Nosworthy has improved since he first joined at the beginning of his career. Every ball was won by Nyron and if in any danger was there to remove any trouble and give options for Connolly and John, then later Murphy.

63 games later and Sunderland finally are awarded a penalty, it all seemed to happen in a split second but you could not complain with the decision, all though we have had much more blatant appeals turned down so any penalty would be welcomed. Up stepped Connolly to send the keeper the wrong way and the Sunderland fans into full voice to silence the traveling Rams fans.

This was Sunderland in full flow as we turned the game on its head; possession was dominated by us and could have doubled the lead before half time with a tame John shot that he missed on the line. The cross from "Roadrunner" found Evans who done well to pull it back but John did not connect with the ball and Bywater easily gathered the ball. Overall an impressive opening half but after the game against Birmingham we all knew that one goal wouldn't be enough.

After the interval and the appearance of Lord Quinn and Collingwood it seemed that whatever Keano said in his half time team talk seemed to backfire as Sunderland came out the traps much slower. Derby dominated the first 20 minutes with constant pressure and numerous corners only for Sunderland to defend doggily and hold off the pressure. Hysen had to clear a header off the line and Evans nearly turned it into his own net only for Ward to brilliantly tip over the bar. The pressure unfortunately did not ease as Barnes who replaced Teale produced a real moment of class. The widely scouted youngster beat both Evans and Collins with a mesmerising spin and then a right foot effort that left Ward and the SoL crowd speechless. It was something that looked predictable as Derby started much more positively and converted their chance well.

This just added to the cauldron of noise at the Stadium as the Derby fans now had their chance to have a go at our fans. The atmosphere was outstanding all game and shows that things are on the up as I can’t actually remember a game that had this much electricity and passion, thanks again Quinny!

Sunderland now knew what they had to do to send the Sunderland fans into ecstasy mode, get another goal and quickly. This failed to happen and Derby looked more and more likely to nick a counter attack goal at the other end. Murphy who came on for John played well and created many chances and even hit the post in the 76th minute. This was a game that was there to be won and what a way to win it!

With the three added minutes being displayed on the board, the Stadium let out another ear bursting roar and it seemed to pay off as Leadbitter floated a ball into the box...Miller glanced the header.....GOAL!!! Cue scenes of absolute mayhem, excitement, wildness, and pain for me who was slammed into a chair by a manic Mackem. In any other situation this would have led to a complaint or even a removal for assault, but in football terms this was worth every moment of pain as I knew I would be fine as Sunderland had just grabbed a massive three points. The scenes at the final whistle reminded me of the Phillips & Quinn days as the song belted out around the stadium, to remind the Derby fans and Sunderland players that, we are on our way!

MoM - Evans - Awesome player who I still can’t believe is only 18 years old!