Sunderland had to settle for a one all draw on Boxing Day at the SOL against Everton after a controversial penalty award by Howard Webb denied the lads a victory. Substitute Jack Colback had given Sunderland the lead midway through the first half with his first goal for the club before the game changed early in the second half.

Serial soft penalty awarder Webb adjudged Lee Cattermole to have hacked down Leon Osman when the winger kicked the ground and not the ball. Leighton Baines made no mistake from the penalty spot to earn the Toffees a share of the spoils blasting his spot kick home.

After Wednesday evening’s fine victory away at QPR Martin O’Neill named an unchanged side as Sunderland looked to claim back to back wins for the first time this season.

Everton, our bogey side, headed to Wearside with Tim Cahill, our bogey player not having scored a goal for the Toffees in 2011, though considering he has scored against us numerous times in the past, I feared him ending his goal drought at the SOL as it would be typical of SAFC to gift him a late Christmas present.

Boxing Day games always attract a decent crowd and today was no different and although the temperature at the SOL was milder than in recent seasons there was strong winds as the lads kicked off towards the South Stand.

In fairness Everton started the better of the two sides and had three good chances in the opening period of the game as the lads were sluggish out of the blocks. The first two chances both fell to, you guessed it Tim Cahill, who first was played in down the right by Hibbert only for his volley to be parried by Westwood.

Moments later the Australian again threatened with a header before Saha also missed a good opportunity when he was left unmarked at a corner but his header into the ground went harmlessly wide.

It took twenty minutes for Sunderland to threaten the Everton goal after Bendtner was played through by a beautifully weighted pass by Sessegnon but despite two attempts the Dane couldn't hit the target. Midway through the first half MON was forced into a change when Bramble had to go off injured. He was replaced by Jack Colback with Richardson dropping back to left back. It was in fact Colback who opened the scoring when he notches his first goal for the club albeit assisted by a deflection. It was Sessegnon who created the goal with a great price of skill before playing in Colback whose side footed effort looped over Tim Howard.

After the goal Everton began to threaten again when Drenthe forced a corner with a long range shot but O'Shea defended the corner well. We went in at half time a goal up despite winning two free kicks in dangerous areas but neither Larsson nor Richardson could get their shots over the wall.

We made a change at the break when Bardsley was replaced by Gardner and we almost doubled our lead when Bendtner produced a sublime piece of skill to evade a tackle before playing in Sessegnon but Howard raced out to deny the forward.

Then the game changed when Howard Webb pointed to the spot after deciding Lee Cattermole had fouled Leon Osman during a mazy run when in fact it looked like Osman did an air shot and simply fell over. Webb took a few good seconds before awarding the penalty which Leighton Baines smashed in to level the scores.

Despite the setback of the penalty we continued to push forward though Everton defended well and the closest we came was when a corner was almost turned into his own goal by Distin.

A good passing move involving Colback, Cattermole and Sessegnon almost played Bendtner through on goal but the pass was a little behind the striker and Distin was able to intercept. Soon after Bendtner looked to be through on goal again but was flagged offside despite starting his run in our half.

Chances were few and far between though Sessegnon caused Tim Howard trouble with a low cross at the front post before Cattermole had a long range effort charged down. In injury time I thought we’d snuck a winner again when Sessegnon darted down the right and crossed but Distin deflected the cross for a corner but was again lucky not to score an own goal.

Final Score: Sunderland 1 Everton 1

ALS Man of the Match: Stephane Sessegnon, Sunderland’s most dangerous player

Aidan Crowe

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