We’re down and out, but fighting. The oh so slightly positive message that will have been conveyed to the “footballing world” yesterday as the Lads regained some of the pride that they have lost in such an awful style in the last few games. And pride is really the only thing we have left to hold on to. Whilst this result was undoubtedly a good one, against a side currently sitting pretty near the top of the league, no fan in their right mind will have any illusions that this draw will affect our league position. But, it is a boost and a step in the right direction, coming just at the right time after a series of really poor performances.
Mick opted for change after the below par performance at West Ham the week before and made five alterations to the side that started that game. Whitehead and Wright were both suspended, McCartney was injured which meant that Nosworthy, Collins, Hoyte, Miller and Stead all made their way back into, what looked like, a much more balanced side. However, for the most part of the first half, it was, indeed, Spurs who looked the better side, even if they did seem to be playing the game at half pace, meaning that both sides had time and space on the ball. Lawrence found some of that space and was able to whip in a few decent crosses whilst Stead, still searching for that elusive first goal, fired well wide with a couple of sighters. Though, towards the end of the first half, Spurs did begin to take the initiative. Robbie Keane missed a couple of good chances before he latched onto the end of a perfect low, swinging cross from Michael Carrick and fired into the empty net. A goal that Spurs may well have deserved as they just edged the first half’s play.
The second half was just the reverse though, with Sunderland looking the better side. Leadbitter came on to add a bit of pace and urgency into the mid-field, just what was needed to counter-act Spurs’ somewhat laid-back approach to the game. Lawrence missed a great chance, unable to follow up on an excellent low ball from Stead that flashed across the face of goal. In the 73rd minute Daryl Murphy replaced Liam Lawrence, a move that would, eventually, change the game. Kyle fired wide 10 minutes before the end after breaking free from the Tottenham defence before, with only a minute to go, Murphy determinedly latched onto a long Arca pass, touched it past the Spurs defender, outstrengthed him and fired low into the bottom corner. Cue delirious celebrations from the home crowd that were only silenced for a short while when Jenas passed up his opportunity to put Spurs back in the lead, firing over with the goal at his mercy. So there it was, another home point at a much-needed time. Pride, for the meantime at least, has been restored and that is surely the only thing we can aim to hold onto for the rest of the season as the Premiership, slowly but surely, slips out of our grasp.
Man of the Match: Nyron Nosworthy
Matthew Woolston