If we stop up this season we won’t look back and remember this game against Hull City as a fantastic spectacle, but it could prove to be a massive three points in the quest for survival. A late first half header from Djibril Cisse was enough to split the sides who battled out a nervous encounter at the SOL on Saturday.

Despite Kieran Richardson being passed fit to play, Sbragia decided not to make any changes from the side that lost to Manchester Untied last week. That meant arguably the two most creative midfielders at the club Richardson and Malbranque had to make do with a place on the bench in a game where we were desperate to win against a side in dismal form.

Hull started kicking towards the North Stand but for the opening ten minutes Phil Brown provided the most entertainment constantly waving his arms like The Village People and moaning to the fourth official for every decision that went against the Tigers. He came across as a right prat but at least he distracted me from the dire football on display.

Browns’ side came with the game plan of lumping long balls to Manucho and kicking us off the park when we had possession. It wasn’t pretty to watch. Our first chance, if you can call it that, came when a Carlos Edwards cross dropped to Andy Reid at the back post. It looked a simple tap in but the Irishman seemed to get the ball stuck under his feet with his back to goal and didn’t get a shot away.

Another counter attack came when Cisse won possession inside our half before charging forward only to be hacked down by the Michael Turner about 25 yards from goal. Grant Leadbitter hit the free kick but it was a poor effort.

Cisse won another free kick in similar circumstances when he turned Sam Ricketts only to be fouled when clean through on goal. Mike Dean decided no card was necessary, only a free kick, which Andy Reid curled off the wall and out for a corner.

Hull’s best chance came after a bad mistake from Ferdinand after the centre half tried to dribble past Manucho. He was robbed of possession and as Hull streamed forward Ferdinand was rescued by a great tackle from Davenport. Just before half time we took the lead through Cisse when he headed into the bottom corner unmarked. Andy Reid had crossed into the front post for Tainio to flick on for Cisse. He celebrated by skidding on his knees into the South West corner, falling over, then getting booked.

Cisse could and probably should have doubled the lead moments after the restart when he went through on goal only for the keeper to save his half volley. Soon after Kenwyne Jones thought he had notched only for his header to be ruled out for offside.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first half with chances few and far between. Hull looked to shoot from everywhere but only troubled those in Row Z behind the goal except for George Boateng who almost burst the net with a volley from twenty five yards which can’t have been far away from the top corner. Hull made changes and continued to pump balls into the box which looking back we dealt with well but at the time my heart was in my mouth.

Carlos Edwards had a good run from inside our half but despite two good options of passing wide to Cisse or pulling the trigger he chose to do nothing and subsequently lose possession.

Kieran Richardson then came on and got straight into a tussle with Bernard Mendy after tackling him. The pair went head to head with Mendy looking more aggressive, but Mike Dean just gave them a talking too. Moments later Mendy got the ball on the wing and absolutely done Richardson twice with great skill but we scrambled away his cross.

Steed Malbranque then replaced Edwards and he had a great chance to kill the game when he ran through on goal but the Frenchman went all Michael Chopra and tried to pass with the outside of his boot to Jones.

We hung on for four minutes of injury time for the three points and Daryl Murphy even went close when he hit the post after coming on as an injury time sub.

Final Score: Sunderland 1 Hull City 0

ALS Man of the Match: Danny Collins (player of the season)

Aidan Crowe

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