The Lads impressed again in their latest Barclays Premier Reserve League game with a 4v0 win against, well who else but Blackburn Rovers. We only ever play Blackburn now, it’s the law. The win means that the Lads have won seven of their eight league fixtures albeit that that includes an opening day win against some third rate outfit at the landfill.

So Blackburn it was, and I have to say that I’m a bit bored with them this week. In fact I’ve seen more of Blackburn this week than her in doors, so it’s not all bad news then. The lads lined up short of some regulars due to loaned out players such as Lids (although he was there to cheer the lads on, good on him) and with youth internationals such as Weir and McArdle being unavailable. So Pascal had to fill in at centre back, well I guess we were lucky he turned up and he was paired with Cornforth whilst Luscombe dropped to left back allowing Cook (or Cok according to the SAFC website, an unfortunate faux pas) a starting place on the left side. He along with Hendo on the right got forward to support Prica with the usual three-man midfield.

Whilst it was a fully deserved victory, it certainly wasn’t the one sided affair the score-line suggested, or that was reported elsewhere. In fact despite the fact that the lads carved out the better of the few real chances in the first half and took the lead shortly before the break, it was Blackburn who showed the more quality on the ball in the first period.

Meyler battled ferociously in a deep midfield position but the distribution wasn’t sharp enough. Chandler had some uncharacteristic poor touches early on, the left hand side struggled for fluency and Cook seemed to drift inside too much meaning that Nathan didn’t have an outlet in front of him when in possession. Young Joe Cornforth got caught out too many times trying to step inside of Rovers forwards who were far too clever to be beaten that easily whilst Prica laboured up front. The only quality early on came from Chimbonda’s covering, Captain Jack and the too few times Henderson was fed the ball.

Indeed we laboured so much early on that the only two incidents of note weren’t chances at all. On 15 minutes Douglas Bader-Meyler nearly did a Nicholas Cage to Michael Kay as he almost took his face off clearing the ball as Kay stooped to head clear. Then five minutes later Henderson scythed down a Rovers played which is perfectly permissible but then when called to the referee, did one of those things that grinds on me. Bending down playing with yer socks rather than look at the ref when he’s talking to you. Come on Hendo, just coz you’ve made the first team doesn’t mean you have to adopt their ways. You’ll be turning up for training after Miller and Chimbo next.

Talking of which Chimbo put in a great sliding tackle mid way through the first period but soon after the ball went back into the middle and Santa Cruz’s brother should have done better just glancing it wide.

Given that Pascal turns up for matches in August with gloves on, I half expected him to turn up with the full Kathy Freeman body suit for a chilly November night in Hetton. If a night like that doesn’t focus your mind on turning up for appointments on time (except birthday parties that is) then I can’t imagine anything ever will.

On the half hour mark Prica held the ball well for the first time in the match and captain Jack arrived for what I half expected to be a screamer but he splayed it well wide. Cook then cut in from the left but his curling effort didn’t get the altitude it needed to beat the keeper but the pendulum was beginning to move in our direction now.

The Lads finally go their noses in front after Prica wrong footed the Rovers defence by wrong footing himself. He appeared to slip when approaching a ball played up to him but the ball was played out to Henderson whilst Prica pushed deep into the box and the mayhem he caused the Rovers defence as the ball came in, allowed Chandler to nip in and finish from about as close in as you can get without being in the back of the net yourself.

Before you knew it the lads doubled the lead. Henderson delivered the sort of corner you would expect from Beckham. It had so much pace and bend on it, it was impossible to defend and Meyler got on the end of it, or it got on the end of him, and went in the back of the net. It travelled so fast it was hard to discern which it was.

H/T 2-0 to the Lads

The second half was far more fluent. Michael Kay had his best half of the season getting forward down the right and combining well with Henderson. Prica looked destined to score five minutes after the restart from a Kay cross but Bunn did well again to palm it out for a corner.

Three minutes later and although it came to nothing the same pairing combined to produce the best interplay of the match as they overlapped and supported each other all the way down the right flank before the cross itself evaded everyone.

Ten minutes in and the goal of the game as Captain Jack rampaged forward from deep, cut inside his man and unleashed one into the corner of the net. Kay and Henderson combined again on 65 minutes to set up Prica but the Swede elected to stoop and attempt a header when it looked easier to kick it. He must have been confident that Meyler wasn’t in the vicinity.

Dowson then came on for Henderson and within five minutes burst through to the edge of the box but again Bunn did exceptionally well to race out with pace and block right on the edge of his box. With just under twenty to go Cook did well to play Prica in down the left hand channel and at last he took his chance, ramming it home low past Bunn for 4v0.

Five minutes later, Colgan showed real class by blocking well after having done virtually nothing for most of the match proving in the process how good his concentration is.

A quick mention for young Matthew Fletcher, who came on for his ressies debut with eleven minutes to go and showed some excellent touches. He deserved his call up after scoring a hat-trick for the youths at the weekend. Yet another good prospect.

Finally I have to give credit to the most anonymous man on the pitch. The referee barely got a decision wrong all night and after the procession of truly abysmal refs we’ve had recently it was a refreshing change to barely notice him and when you’ve got Bulldozer Bader on the pitch, that’s no mean feat.

Full Time: Sunderland Reserves 4-0 Blackburn Rovers Reserves

Sunderland: Colgan, Kay, Luscombe, Meyler, Chimbonda, Cornforth, Henderson (Dowson), Chandler, Prica, Colback, Cook (Fletcher).

Subs unused: Hunter, Brown, (Liam) Noble

Man of the Match: Difficult one this week, second half everyone played well but Captain Jack’s the gel that holds it all together.

Attendance: 680 Blackburn over-dosed fans

Dov