Bolton report

Life expectancy in the Sunderland area is fairly low compared to national levels. That of Sunderland supporters will be even lower I imagine; particularly if they had to watch too many afternoons of this kind of football. It was a win that looks far more comfortable on paper than it was and one that the statistics won’t tell the full story of.

Just for a change, we were playing a game we had to get something from. Not just something though, anything but a win would have been a disaster in all honesty. Cole was back up front, Miller restored after suspension and most significantly, Kieran Richardson started his first game for months. Bolton, despite being pretty rubbish and still in the ‘dogfight’ have a pretty talented team, particularly their front 3 of Anelka, Diouf and Davies.

Although everything about it told you this should have been a rubbish, scrappy game, it was pretty good in the first half and we played some good stuff at times. Richardson’s added quality helped with that and it was he who opened the scoring when a great ball from Jones, on the edge of the box, was smashed past Jaaskelainen with ease. It was an early goal similar to the Villa game but as that game proved you can’t sit on a one goal lead for too long so to keep attacking is imperative.

Bolton were easy to get at to be honest, as good as their front line is – when they are on their game, the defence is as weak. Kevin Nolan is their main man in midfield but he’s nowhere near the form he had a couple of years ago. We had good fluency to the play, Cole and Jones up front were a handful and Miller and Richardson’s slick passing always meant we looked as if we could threaten. The lead was doubled after the half hour when a Richardson corner was met with ease by the head of Jones. A 2 goal lead and playing well….it was all a bit surreal.

It was too good to last of course and 10 minutes later after a period of pressure from Bolton a free kick was given away on the edge of the box. Diouf took it and it was one of those where it’s not a shot but not really a cross either and leaves the keeper in no-mans-land. No-one got a touch and it drifted into the net. Lead halved. I don’t think Gordon was to blame but we’ve conceded from 4 direct free kicks in the last few games and that’s too many. Bolton continued the pressure until half time and it was a relief when the whistle blew so we could re-group.

The second half carried on like the first half finished and consisted of us sitting back on the lead and Bolton desperately trying to break us down, usually with long balls. It was clear that all out defence wasn’t the game plan but with the nerves of the situation and not having won in a while it was probably natural for the players to go deep and try and defend what they have rather than keep playing positively. Keane made it 5 in the middle by bringing O’Donovan and Murphy on in wide areas but this didn’t make a difference and just meant the ball came back faster. When we did get possession all that was on was a long ball up field, whereby Jones had the thankless task of running round after lost causes.

Despite being implored by the crowd to push out they didn’t and as time went on the clearances got more desperate and the nerves more frayed. To be fair in all of this Bolton never created anything so credit goes to the defence for that but against a better team you feel they would have broke down the resistance eventually. Hopefully in not such a tense situation (Blackburn on Wednesday for instance) we wouldn’t play this way all the time when a goal up.

Despite the fans natural pessimism whereby you just wait for an almighty cock-up somewhere with Sunderland, time ticked on and as it got into injury time it looked as though Bolton were a spent force and we may just get away with this one. Then a long ball from Gordon that found Murphy in space, who slotted home with his left, finished it properly and for about 45 seconds we could savour a nerve-less 2 goal lead, knowing we were going to win. I can’t remember the last time that happened.

Out of the bottom 3 and the transfer window upon us. What will 2008 have in store for us?

Rockin's rant

It was vital that we got a win from today’s game, if we are to stay up we must beat teams around us and Bolton will definitely be in and around the bottom half for the remainder of the season. Kieran Richardson made his first start since August, replacing Ross Wallace who was injured in training on Friday. Liam Miller was back after been suspended for three games and went straight into the centre of midfield to partner Dickson Etuhu, Dwight Yorke dropped out of the squad completely. Andy Cole replaced Martyn Waghorn who’d had an impressive debut for the lads against United.

It was imperative that we started well and got out of the traps quickly against a tough tackling Bolton team and not allow them to take any control of the game. Thankfully we did just that, generally we have been quite slow at the beginning of games and maybe that is why we score so many late goals but today was different. We were dictating the pace of the game and playing good football. Though, we could have found ourselves behind after 10 minutes, if Danny Collins, who’s been a rock in defence this season, hadn’t made a fantastic challenge on Kevin Davies.

Just two minutes later we were in front. Kenwyne Jones picked out Richardson, after some fantastic play by the Trinidad and Tobago striker, who was to his left; Richardson unleashed a terrific first time shot past Jaaskelainen. Cue eruption in the Stadium of Light, a massive sense of relief is felt all around the stadium. Unlike the Man United game, we were battling for everything and showing the fight we need to have in the coming months. We were quite clearly the better team but we needed a second to relax ourselves, not into thinking the game would be sealed, but to take some of the nerves away from having just the one goal.

Twelve minutes before half time the second goal came and it was Richardson and Jones who were again heavily involved. Richardson however, was the provider this time with a beautifully delivered corner from the right, which needed a simple glancing header into the corner from Jones. Out came the sumersault from Jones.

We were quite comfortable and Bolton never really looked like threatening Craig Gordon’s goal that was to change when they were awarded a free kick ten yards outside the box on the right wing. Gordon appeared to be left flat footed after some movement in front of him and Diouf’s free kick squeezed into the bottom corner, an undeserved goal for Bolton.

Half Time: 2-1

Kieran Richardson almost gave us another two goal cushion just minutes into the second half, his audacious attempt from all of 35-yards was tipped over from Jaaskelainen. This was to be one of only two efforts on goal in the second half. The rest of the time was spent with our backs against the wall as we invited pressure from Bolton. Although Bolton enjoyed a great deal of possession Gordon never had to make a save, the defence, who’ve come in for a large amount of criticism, coped fantastically well with Bolton’s attacking play. The only negative was, unfortunately, we sat far too deep and could have avoided some of the pressure we found ourselves under.

Wave after wave of Bolton attacks came to nothing thanks to the hard work and determination of everyone of the Sunderland players, no one hid as in other games, which was very encouraging to see.

Kenwyne Jones added a second assist to his name today with the third goal, which came in injury time. Daryl Murphy got the third and the striker showed great strength to get past his man and smash the ball home, which came from a flick on by Jones. A second half which definitely can’t be good for our health, though that’s what comes with supporting Sunderland.

Full Time: 3-1

Attendance: 42,058

MOTM – A very difficult decision as there were some great performances today. However, Kieran Richardson was the one who stood out for me with some fantastic pieces of skill and showed great ability.