Before today’s game against Chelsea I would have probably taken a one nil reverse. However having held our own against The Blues and the match officials with a depilated team I left the SOL a bit pissed off this afternoon thanks to a first half John Terry header.

On entering the ground and hearing the team most fans along with myself were surprised. No Murphy, Richardson, Chopra or Higginbotham in the squad. Which made the starting eleven paper-thin considering the injured Stokes, Etuhu and bad time keeper Liam Miller were still all sidelined.

The Chinese whispers soon started and hearsay suggested that there had been an incident with alcohol, a hotel and football players. Personally I don’t know and don’t want to comment until any facts are made clear.

Sunderland at home again started 4-5-1. The back four the same as last Sunday, in midfield a welcome return for Carlos alongside, Whitehead, Leadbitter, O’Donovan and Reid. Kenwyne Jones the lone striker.

The lads started okay and in the first four or five minutes and had a blatant penalty turned down. O’Donovan was hauled down in the box by England captain John Terry, but the ref waved play on before high fiving JT and Lamps.

Once the penalty was denied Chelsea upped gears and piled the pressure on. They took the lead from a corner when Lampard's cross picked out Terry to head past Gordon. Apparently replays later suggested that Jones got the final touch but either way we found ourselves one down.

If anything this settled the lads (or maybe Chelsea took their feet off the gas) but we started to get forward. Andy Reid burst (not that way) forward to hook a ball into the box for Carlos, but Edwards could only volley over. Soon after Reid went close himself when we won a free kick on the edge of the area but like last week he was again denied by a great save from the keeper.

Before half time Alex almost gifted us an equaliser when his lazy back header allowed O’Donovan clean through but Cudicini raced from his line to deny the Irishman. Cudicini wasn’t happy with O’Donovan’s efforts to get the ball which caused a little bit of friction. Chelsea did end the half pushing for a second but despite a couple of corners couldn’t double their lead.

After the break Sunderland went close when Collins got onto the end of another cross from Reid. However the left back’s header glanced wide. After a shift of an hour Carlos Edwards was replaced by Rade Prica. Obviously Edwards wasn’t his usual self but it was good to see him back and also noticeable that he and Bardo kept Joe Cole relatively quiet.

Soon after there was also a playing return for forgotten man Dwight Yorke who replaced O’Donovan. Yorke almost made his biggest contribution of the season when his lofted ball into the box found Jones but the striker’s header was held by Cudicini.

In between Sunderland’s efforts to equalise Chelsea’s best effort in the second half came from Shaun Wright-Phillips who was denied by a great save by Craig Gordon. The little winger went clean through but Scotland’s number one got out to smother his shot.

Jones had another header just wide again from a Yorke cross. Then Whitehead went close late on when his turn and shot whistled past the post. The lads can count themselves unlucky today but how many times have we heard that his season.

Final Score: Sunderland 0 Chelsea 1

ALS Man of the Match: Andy Reid

Aidan Crowe

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