So here we go then for the final try-out for the Premier race. After the alleged “soft touches” of the Irish tour, here was the mighty Juve, sensibly playing in their second strip of all white.

As the day started, just as every other Saturday did until May, in the Station with a pint or so, talk was of Wallace. If he played the full ninety today, did that mean he was our number one number three for the coming season, or what? The bus was nigh on full, as were the bars in Sunderland, and I marked out my usual pre-match territory with the usual few beers. We started with Fulop, Halford, Noz, McShane and Wallace at the back, with Miller, Etuhu, Whitehead, and Keyring (look, I’ll be calling him that most of the time ‘cos I’m not sure if it’s spelt with an “o” or an “a”) in the middle, and Murph and Chops up front.

A decent looking crowd was there at the start, and we soon found out that Juve weren’t holding back with there challenges. Welcome to the niggly world of top-flight football, Sunderland. Ref Mike Riley played as if he was being auditioned for “Any dream will do” and soon got on the nerves of many. McShane repeated his Irish antics and forced a great save form Buffon, and the resulting corner was met by Murphy and flew past Etuhu’s outstretched boot and into the side of the net.

Well, that’s nice. A good start against a good side, that’ll do for me, and only seven minutes gone. We then played a great ball through, but decided to knock it back rather than go for shot, and they broke but shot wide when closed down by Noz. As the game wore on, it became apparent that we’d do better if Murph and Halford made more use of their obvious size and weight, but we were still doing OK despite Juve’s superior possession. Mostof their play came through Nedved and Dacourt, and Halford did generally well against the former’s wide play. Their free kick twenty yards out was well stopped by Fulop, and McShane did well to carry the ball to safety. The naughty tackle on Etuhu wasn’t the first, but it went unpunished, then we flashed a header just wide on about 23 minutes. Things could have gone horribly wrong when they broke and crossed, but Fulop’s parry what whacked against the bar and we cleared. Etuhu was booked for an obvious foul that was no worse than that on him a few minutes earlier, and curled the free kick wide from what was rapidly becoming the usual spot. Dicka (it’s easier to type than Etuhu, believe me) was winning a lot of tackles, then they sliced our cross wide for a corner, but it came to nothing, but Halford’s attempt to get it back in ended with another flag-kick. We couldn’t decide if McShane was the new Colin Elliott or the new Shaun Todd as he was everywhere at the back, while Keyring was trying a few things that didn’t quite come off. Having said that, he did well to win a corner on 35 minutes, from which Dicka found space to hit a sweet volley – just wide. McShane put in a great tackle, but soon after they won another free-kick which was saved by Fulop – from the usual spot. Keyring did some good tackling back, then Murph was clattered late as he tried to play in Chops. Did Riley see it? Did he bollocks.

One nil at half time, and we’d had no shots to their half dozen – but it’s what goes in the net that counts. The only changes for the second half were the two ‘keepers, as Ward replaced Fulop and Beehive replace Buffon. Immediately we broke through the middle, but when it came wide Murph’s cross floated harmlessly over. They won a corner, and Miller was pulled back as he went past Nedved, and from the free-kick that resulted we won a corner on the left that was wasted. Mille was certainly up for the second half, but it was Ward who shone next with great one-handed save. Presumably, Craig Gordon would have caught it and launched a match-winning attack. Ten minutes in it got a bit lively as we found our feet, won a few tackles, and threatened to break into their box. Cop s was elbowed twice in a couple of seconds, but Riley chose to see neither offence, and Keyring’s cross was headed over by Dicka. On the hour, Dicka made way for Stokes, as Chops and Deano made way for Yorke and Connolly. A wild shot by Juve was comfortably collected by Spiderman(presumably because his mate the Pink Panther is better on crosses), and then Halford was caught for pace put recovered well put clear for a corner. Murphy and Wallace were then replaced by John and Collins (“now there’s a proper fullback,” said the old feller next to me. How times have changed) as Roy sought to give very one a run out. McShane gave way to Anderson, and proceeded to join in the last-ditch defending that we were carrying out. After a great break down the left, Miller stepped over the ball with no-one waiting, then Ward was forced to dive into feet to mop up.

We could (should) have put the game in the bag when John found himself free on the spot, but thumped his shot into the ground and over when a goal seemed the easier option, and only five minutes to go. Kay replaced Halford, but could do little as they headed the ball inside and a crashing volley put them level. This wasn’t the end of the fun, as Stokes thundered a shot against the foot of the post and away for a throw, but Riley decided he couldn’t do anything else to spoil people’s afternoon. So he blew the whistle.

Not a bad workout as the last effort before the real thing.

Man of the Match? McShane

See you next week for the start of the real business.

Haway the Lads

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