We’ll meet again don’t know where don’t know when.....

Despite suffering a 3-2 defeat to Chelsea at the SOL on Sunday The Lad’s retained their Premiership status thanks to results elsewhere. Sadly our friends from up the road were steered into the second tier of English Football by their latest Messiah Anal Shearer.

Even though the defeat to Chelsea didn’t really matter in the end we did put up a pretty good fight and showed great desire to score twice despite going behind. Chelsea took all three points thanks to goals from Anelka, Kalou and Ashley Cole while Kieran Richardson and Kenwyne Jones scored for Sunderland.

Before the game we went for a few beers in the town and the area next to the Lambton Worm was absolutely rammed. The grassy hill behind the Crowtree Leisure centre was soon taken over by drinkers of The Lambton Worm, Bud Bigalows and aspire whilst the hill itself was swiftly renamed Hendon Hill by one of our group but this didn’t stop us basking in the sunshine sipping ice cold lager.

The ales did curb a few pre match nerves but to be honest mine and I imagine the majority of SAFC supporters minds at the SOL were more concerned with events at The KC Stadium and Villa Park as few doubted we could take three points from the mighty Chelsea to ensure survival ourselves.

Much of the coverage this week on SKY has focussed on Man U’s decision to field a weakened team against Hull but we were afforded no such favours from Guus Hiddink and Chelsea. To be fair Sunderland battled well for the majority of the first half and went in goalless at the break. The best effort from Sunderland came when Grant Leadbitter shifted the ball inside onto his right foot and blasted an effort just wide. The biggest cheers of the first half came when first Man U scored and then Villa followed suit.

After the break Chelsea took the lead when Anelka lashed one into the top corner from about twenty five yards. It was a great strike and I imagine he probably clinched the Golden Boot with the goal. This didn’t dissuade Sunderland who fought back and equalised through Kieran Richardson after good work from Kenwyne Jones in the air at the back post.

Soon after Chelsea soon established their lead again from a long range strike from Kalou. Bardsley had been forced to concede a corner which was eventually cleared only as far as Kalou who beat Fulop at his near post. Chelsea notched their third when Ashley Cole bundled the ball over the line after a deflection but at this point, eyes, well ears were elsewhere as we waited for confirmation from the KC and Villa Park that we had stayed up. Kenwyne got a goal late on but the news everyone wanted to hear filtered through after the full time whistle that both Hull and The Scum had lost.

It’s about time The Scum got what they deserved and I take great pleasure in laughing at their plight after years of mocking us when we went down with 19 then 15 points. Ha Ha Ha. For years they have kidded themselves that they are a massive club, also anyone remember the effort someone went too to make and distribute loads of “let's all laugh at Sunderland” banners when they beat us last at the SOL a few years ago, well whose laughing now?

To end we must not get carried away with finishing as the top team in the North East as to be fair this is like coming first in a Miss Newcastle contest, hardly an achievement. We have underachieved this year given the financial investments made by the club and Quinny must act in the summer to ensure we’re not in this position next season relying on shit teams to keep us up.

ALS Man of the Match – Grant Leadbitter

Final Score Sunderland 2 Chelsea 3

And finally: Who took the toon doon?

Aidan Crowe

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