OTD: SAFC 2-2 WATFORD (2023)

On this day in 2023 Watford came to town as we were pushing for an unlikely place in the top six towards the end of the season, and our last home game of the regular campaign delivered drama like only Sunderland could. Read Sobs' match report from that day...

The Hornets came to Wearside, mired in mid-table obscurity, as we battled seven other sides for one of two playoff places. With added pressure due to Millwall's late win against Blackpool last night, we conceded twice from corners - Batth, Ballard, or Stewart would have prevented them - before producing a barnstorming finish that got us level and very nearly ahead. A performance that sums up what it's like to be a Sunderland fan, and emphasises why it's great to be one.

Having spent the week basking in the glow of a tremendous team effort in the West Midlands on Sunday, much of the discussion was about whether VAR should be brought into the Championship. Had it been in use last week, we'd have seen:

WBA's penalty overturned

A possible penalty for a foul on Clarke

A possible penalty, and card, for a push on Joff just before our first goal

A possible foul, and card, for Joff for pushing back

A possible card, of either colour, for Joff for his celebratory shoving over of his assailant

A free kick and card of either colour for the two-footed, studs up, challenge on the edge of their area by Albion

..and Luton's penalty against the Boro being overturned.

Let's just say the VAR team would have been busy.

Of course, the general excitement ensured a sell-out crowd and with that came the negative thoughts - would we do an SAFC Boxing Day Special and bugger it up? Surely not this time, and even if we didn't end up in the top six, it's been a season to remember - for the right reasons. Even Mal the Mag said last night that we'd done really well.

Saturday morning spirits were higher than a Joey Barton tackle, the pre-match atmosphere was electric, building even more as the one and a half Bishop buses set off, and the town was a mass of nervous excitement. The Lads sported FA Cup tracky tops (nice move by the club to use Joff in the publicity pics) Wise Men Say raised the hairs on the back of Wearside necks, and the Roker Roar reappeared. And flags, the banners, the lot - it was "summat in my eye" time. Magic - if you don't get lifted by that you shouldn't be playing football.

Patterson

Gooch (c) Hume O'Nien Cirkin

Neil Ekwah

Roberts Amad Clarke

Gelhardt

.... and a bench of Bass, Pritchard, Lihadji, Ba, Michut, Anderson, and Taylor.

Watford, in blue, kicked off north on a dull afternoon and their fans celebrated by setting off a flare. Ekwah had the first shot of the day, a left-footer from dist, that the keeper unnecessarily saved as it was destined for the hoardings. Amad took a free out on the right after Gooch was fouled breaking down that wing, but it was easy for the keeper at the back post. We put some nice passing stuff together, and there was a yellow on 9 when Joff was chopped down as he burst through the middle, then four minutes later Amad curled one a foot wide of the near post.

Following a Clarke burst into the box we won a corner, which was cleared only for Luke to try a crossfield pass that was woefully short of its mark, and Hume had to concede a corner. In it came from our right and our lack of height was emphasised when it was headed in from the spot on 16 minutes. Against the run of play? Probably, but if you don't get shots on target you don't score.

Ekwah did well to set Joff away, drawing a nasty foul forty yards from goal, but Clarke won yet another corner from the free. He was being afforded more space because Watford were doubling up on both Amad and Roberts. There was then a wired moment when a Watford shot hit Patto's chest - it must have taken a deflection - and their 7, a real muscly pest, screwed the loose ball horribly wide.

Time-wasting had become the order of the day for the visitors, which the ref did little about. On 35, Amad and Roberts combined for the latter to place a shot from the edge a yard wide of the far post. Perhaps he was feeling the effects of several long balls out to him that had been a foot too strong. Two added minutes, less time that Watford took celebrating their goal, saw us (Clarke) win another two corners which were easily dealt with.

1973 FA Cup side came out during the break to say a few words.

No changes for the second half, and we conceded a free kick near the benches that eventually drew a save from Patto, who gratefully collected the bouncing ball when it went loose. We kept winning corners on the right, mostly down to the industry of Gooch as we played basically two at the back. In it came, and when Hume's back post header was pushed away, Amad fluffed the chance. Roberts was having a better second half, but ran out of space in the box seven minutes in and Watford hoofed it away.

When Watford eventually made a sub their man had to be pushed off the pitch by Cirkin, then Ekwah hit one low and wide. He was then replaced by Pritch, leaving Neil alone in the middle. Even Pritch's clever touches couldn't find a way through as Watford sat deep and we made a string of poor decisions - and passed.

On 68 minutes, another corner went to Watford and it was glanced in. Oh for a big lad at the back! Barely had we had time to bemoan our situation when Gooch won another corner, which Luke hoofed against the bar. Fortunately he was still lurking when it came back in as he poked it away. Ha'way Lads, we can get back into this!

On 75, Neil was off for Michut as we strove to be the shortest side in the league system, and Gelhardt was replaced by Ba at the same time.

From there we tried, we had shots blocked, we got frustrated at time wasting, we had two decent penalty shouts denied, Watford hit us on the break and we had to defend well. Luke was booked for a rugby tackle as Keenan Davis continued to pester us, then seven added minutes were announced to a huge roar from the crowd. We pressed, Watford broke, and at last Amad and Roberts clicked. Paddy took a pass and cut inside before curling a left footer towards the far corner. It seemed to take an age to drop, but drop it did - just below the bar, for yet another addition to the pantheon of terrific goals we've scored this season - and with five minutes of added time gone, the latest of them.

We tried for another, but ran out of time. Only a draw, but another show of guts and attitude - eventually.

Man of the Match? Not the ref, who was weak as water, but I'll give it to captain Gooch, who kept driving forward and tackling back.

There was still a big crowd present to witness the lap of honour/appreciation by the squad half an hour after it had ended. Who wouldn't want to play for fans like that?

Go to 1:40 on the highlights to watch the Roberts goal, superb.