The less said about the shambles from Sunderland this afternoon the better. Out of the cup, beat three nil by Wigan, in a gutless error riddled display reminiscent of the fifteen point season.

As expected Roy Keane made numerous changes to the side with another debut for Jonny Evans and also a return to first team action for Graham Kavanagh. Gordon retained his place in goal behind a back four of Nos, McShane, Evans and Collins. In midfield Richardson, Whitehead, Kavanagh and O’Donovan. Up front Murphy and Waghorn.

Playing in a half empty stadium the lads started the better of the two forcing a couple of corners but they were comfortably cleared. As the game wore on, watching paint dry seemed like a more exciting thing to be doing but fortunately referee Mike Riley managed to raise a smile. The man in black went arse over tit in the centre circle trying to jump over the ball; no one was near him but no yellow card for simulation. Quite honestly that was the highlight of the half from a Sunderland perspective as the game was woeful at times.

Wigan took the lead with twenty minutes gone when Scharner nodded in a free kick unmarked. An interesting stat on Sky Sports News this week showed that we had conceded ten goals from set pieces this season, make that eleven. We had a half hearted appeal for a penalty turned down just before half time when Richardson tumbled over a challenge after good work by Waghorn but the ref pointed for a goal kick.

With a poor first half almost over the last thing we wanted to see was time added on but the fourth official displayed five minutes as Siberski had earlier been stretcher off. Keane didn’t make any changes at the break but Sunderland continued the second half in the same vain. Misplaced and over hit passes, poor first touches, mistimed tackles and a real lack of a cutting edge made the game painful to watch.

It got worse ten minutes into the second half with Wigan’s second goal. Evans whilst under pressure played a weak pass back to Gordon which was seized upon by Aghahowa. Evans tried to get back, Gordon came out, McShane stormed back and coolly slotted into his own net in clinical fashion that our strikers would do well to emulate.

A double substitution from Keane saw Whitehead and Waghorn make way for Cole and Leadbitter, but this had little impact. Wigan killed the game with fifteen minutes to go when Cotterrill blasted into the top corner after running at the Sunderland defence unchallenged. “3-0 to the second team” was the chant from the hundred or so Wigan supporters who had made the journey north. It was almost four at the death but Craig Gordon made a save from Michael Browns shot.

Final Score: Sunderland 0 Wigan 3

ALS Man of the Match: Graham Kavanagh

Aidan Crowe

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