Sunderland bridge the gap at Goodison


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nick5573

Midfield
Happy days I remember watching this time and time again on my VHS recording match of the day. One of the best games that season and hopefully we can get a result like that again today!!



Sunderland bridge the gap at Goodison

Derek Potter, Electronic Telegraph: PETER REID, one of the less expressive managers, had every right to smile after a happy return to his former club as manager of Sunderland. A second goal for Michael Bridges in the 87th minute embellished Sunderland's first away success since the win at Forest on the opening day.

After scything through Southampton to score five times in one 22-minute burst two weeks earlier, Everton faced more disciplined and compact opponents. The "form" team with five wins and three draws behind them were, in fact, twice close to conceding a first-half lead against a Sunderland side with only two goals to their credit in their previous seven League games. However, Neville Southall was on hand to make two ungainly and unorthodox saves.

Alex Rae cut in from the left and Southall scrambled the ball away from the feet of Kevin Ball in the first flutter for a capacity crowd. Southall's second escape again involved Rae after Martin Smith's pass had questioned the backbone of Everton.

Paul Bracewell was warmly welcomed on his return to Goodison Park where he and Reid were such influential figures in Everton's elegant and successful team of the mid-1980s. Bracewell might easily have been cast as an early villain, drilling a 20-yard shot just a yard wide after 90 seconds -- an early indication that Sunderland were not without attacking ambitions despite their poor scoring rate.

Some darting runs by Andrei Kanchelskis, two vicious dipping corners by Andy Hinchcliffe and one dazzling solo run by Gary Speed in the goal area failed to ruffle a resolute Sunderland. Even a penalty a minute into the second half was wasted by Everton, an unforgivable lapse in the circumstances. Graham Stuart crumpled under pressure from several defenders, Martin Scott applying the offending tackle.

Lionel Perez dived to his left to punch Stuart's modestly driven spot kick and a follow-up header by Joe Parkinson floated harmlessly off target. The miss was soon punished, as Craig Russell made no such mistake in the 54th minute when his header gave Southall no chance of repeating his earlier saves.

Rae set up the spur for Sunderland. He sped past England's Hinchcliffe and crossed with encouraging accuracy for Russell, replacing the suspended Paul Stewart.

Duncan Ferguson was pitched on to a great ovation in the 52nd minute to replace the injured Tony Grant and he equalised 11 minutes later with a header of daunting power. The tall Scot's third goal of his disjointed season followed another teasing corner by Hinchcliffe.

Russell was inches off a second goal for Sunderland when his shot hit an upright and Michael Branch -- who came on as a substitute for Kanchelskis -- responded with a dipping drive that scudded against the crossbar.

Sunderland, amazingly, struck back in the 74th minute with a messy goal, with substitute Bridges' looping header somehow creeping in past Southall at the far post and three minutes from time Bridges stunned the home supporters when he scored a second goal following a three-man breakaway.
 
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