OTD: 3-0 V MAGS (2015)

On this day in 2015, Sunderland defeated Newcastle United 3-0 at the Stadium of Light to make it six derby victories in a row. Not only was this game about bragging rights, it also had a massive impact on the Premier League relegation battle.

It was Sam Allardyce’s second game in charge and the Lads were looking to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat down at the Hawthorns. Allardyce made three changes to the starting 11, bringing in players like Jeremain Lens and Ola Toivonen in hope to change Sunderland’s fortunes. Not to mention he went with his favoured 4-3-3 formation. Despite a difficult start to the season Steve McClaren’s Magpies were coming off a promising 6-2 victory against Norwich City, with Georginio Wijnaldum scoring four goals in that game. The Mags were hoping that victory could kick start their season.

Newcastle started the game well, they ended up having 13 shots in the first half, which was the most shots they had in one half all season. However everything changed when Fabricio Coloccini charged down Steven Fletcher in the penalty box. The defender ran across Fletcher as he attempted to latch on to a through-ball but appeared to ease him out of the way with his shoulder with the ball running to goalkeeper Rob Elliot. Referee Madley, though, believed he was the last man and, having awarded the penalty, was left with little choice but to send him off for preventing a goalscoring opportunity.

Things were looking great for Sunderland, Coloccini was shown red and the Lads received a penalty. Johnson converted the penalty and Sunderland went into half-time 1-0 up, with Sunderland fans feeling a bit lucky having been dominated in the first half. The Mags now found themselves down to 10 men, and from this point on Newcastle’s afternoon took a turn for the worse.

Allardyce actually had to make two changes before half time bringing on Jermain Defoe and Sebastian Coates for Ola Toivonen (groin) and John O’Shea (hamstring). It was Defoe who set the ball to Fletcher for the penalty. Big Sam then waited until the 83rd minute to make his next change where he brought on Sebastian Larsson for Lens.

The furious visitors saw Aleksandar Mitrovic denied by Costel Pantilimon, but Billy Jones’ close range finish put the lads 2-0 up and put the game out of sight after the hour mark. The win was sealed in the 86th minute when Steven Fletcher scored a fantastic volley from a lightning quick counter attack.

This victory saw Allardyce’s men move ahead of Newcastle on goal difference and move up to 18th in the table. Steven Fletcher was awarded Man of the Match for earning the first-half penalty before volleying home the third goal.

Sam Allardyce became the fourth consecutive Sunderland boss to beat Newcastle in their second game in charge. Big Sam knew his side had a battle to stay up. But the manner of Fletcher's final goal, volleying home a sweeping move late on, and a first clean sheet of the season gave him hope. To rub salt into the wound for Newcastle fans, Allardyce had an unpopular spell in charge of the Magpies in the 2007-08 season.