SOBS: COV

The Lads headed to Coventry for the first half of the semi-final and... when marimba rythms start to play, dance with me, make me sway, like a lazy ocean hugs the shore, hold me close, sway me more.

Basically, we set up well, kept our shape and discipline (apart from one lapse on 70), and were much cleverer with the ball than the home side - despite their 74% possession and ten shots on target, of which only three got past our rock-solid back line and Patto stopped two of them. At the other end we had three on target and the keeper only stopped one. A marvellous win and a marvellous way to end four decades of misery in the west-ish midlands, thanks to cool second-half finishes from just about the same spot by Isidor and Mayenda. 

Much talk on the way down was of the messages of support from former players, whoever their current employer, and fans of other clubs. Oh, and the thoughts that the ref at Ashton Gate last night was atoning for his Trai Hume abberation by dismissing a home defender - until we saw the rugby tackle that took Kieffer Moore down. Word also spread of nerves. Nerves we'd all, apparently, been suffering in varying degrees as the days passed. Me? I've been doing it for decades, so I'm used to it.

Not. It started halfway through yesterday, and I spent a silly amount of time cutting the grass this morning in a vain attempt to take my mind of things....and I don't even have a lawn. Early rumours of the line-up had us dreaming of all-out attack - let's see.

The locals in the Railway (Hinckley) were split between Leicester fans who wanted us to whup Coventry's collective ass and Cov fans who wondered if it was their away leg as there were so many of us. 

As news arrived that neither Mundle nor Alese had travelled, in came the official line-up of...

Patterson 

Hume Ballard O'Nien Cirkin 

Neil (c) Bellingham Le Fee 

Roberts Isidor Mayenda 

...with a bench of:

Moore, Seelt, Hjelde, Mepham, Watson, Rigg, Samed, Browne, and Jones. Rumours do come true!

The red and white hordes thronged in the sunshine outside the ground, taking on necessary fluids and reminding the world that we are Sunderland. Inside, the concourse bounced as we sang the praises of various Lads, and reminded the world of Mayenda's name.

The "sort your own tickets" scheme meant that my usual suspects were scattered around the away end, but at least I had an aisle seat, meaning nobody between me and the Sky Blue fans but a line of polis, but ideal for jumping around in celebration, should the occasion arise - and next to our Ian's school mate Liam. Small world.

Please let the occasion arise. Spoiler alert....

As the sun lowered itself to bed behind the west stand to our left, by which time my nerves were shredded, we faced, in the stripes, our end and Cap'n Dan set things away. Here we go.

We had about thirty seconds of the ball in their half, then things settled into the pattern that would dominate most of the match. With Roberts on the right, Le Fee not quite on the left, and Isidor and Mayenda up top, we simply soaked up pressure, although it has to be said that it wasn't very imaginative pressure. Three early corners were nutted away by Ballard, then came Cov's biggest threat - the long throws, one of which was taken by Patto and the others just dealt with.

Hume produced one of those tackles he'd been saving up since the QPR game, Cirkin tried the same but just got a yellow on 20. Leave it to the expert, Dennis! A long throw from the right was knocked across our box but sliced horribly wide and the next attack was cleared to Mayenda, who set off on a trademark charge from halfway. A twist near the edge of the box, and his left footer beat the keeper but scudded a few inches beyond his left- hand post.

A minute after that there was a series of blocks and tackles in our box then Neil played in Cirkin but his cross was blocked for our first corner. He was at it again as we started to get some joy down that side but Isidor couldn't get his shot away.

Hume's next tackle irritated Wright, who took exception to a perfectly fair clatter and the ref had to tell him to let go of Trai's shirt. After Ballard took a knock and there was another Hyoooooom moment, Le Fee was fouled a couple of yards outside the box. An intricate routine followed that didn't quite work, but it showed more imagination than Coventry managed in 97 minutes.

We played out the single added minute in the established style - defend like mad and get it to the midfield, who would give the front two something to chase. 0-0, and we were happy/satisfied with that. As long as Cov don't score more than us, it'd do.

No changes, and off we went on more of the same. Coventry set up a chance with a cross from their left, but it was headed yards over. I think even Patto shook his head in disbelief that he'd not been forced into a save. Roberts was back to put in a tackle Hume probably applauded, then was away, only to be chopped down on halfway.

We played it to the right, and when the cross arrived beyond the far post our volley was way off target - but it had reminded Cov of our threat. Ballard then picked up the ball as we defended a corner, galloped to halfway, and was crudely fouled.

Having dealt with all that pressure, it all went a bit crazy on 68, when we found Le Fee in the middle, and he cut out their defence with a beauty of a pass to Issy, who cut in from the left and fired, right-footed, across the keeper and just inside the far post. 

Never mind "limbs", there were bodies flying everywhere around me as folks tumbled down the aisle and chucked each other up in the air. A cracking goal. A beautiful pass. A deadly finish. A lovely lead...

...that lasted less than two minutes. For just about the only time in the game, a Cov player was unmarked in the box and the cross flew in off his forehead. Nowt Patto could do about that.

"You're not singing any more" they sang, so we sang. Isidor made way for Rigg with fifteen to go - sensible, we thought, keep what we've got, close down the home players to stop them hoying long balls into our box. Roberts cut in from the right, but his effort didn't curl enough and was well wide of the far post. There were six minutes left when their pesky number 7 got into the box past Hume and to the byline - I thought Patto's toe at the front post had deflected it into the net, but it was a cracking save.

On came Mepham to give the defence a hand, with Roberts making way. Almost immediately, we forced the home side back, and when an attempted backpass was woefully short, Mayenda raced onto it, swerved left past the keeper on the edge of the box and hit it left-footed into the empty net. More mayhem, more tumbling bodies and twirling scarves and shirts as we let out a collective roar of defiance and celebration. Two minutes of normal time remaining - surely we could keep that lead.

As the home fans fell silent, we belted out their anthem. Dance with me, make me sway, Ha'way Ha'way.

Six added minutes! The game's bravest and most important tackle came from Jobe on our own penalty spot as their man poised to turn and shoot. Brilliant. As the sound of squeaky bums threatened to spoil our singing, Browne replaced Mayenda and we played our way to the final, beautiful, whistle. The home fans were off like a shot, we danced some more, and applauded the Lads when they lined up to applaud us before jigging our way back to the buses. The car park was as mass of singing, dancing Mackems, belting out the song of the night, nicked from Cov.

For all their attacking, there was no guile to it - to quote Shakespeare, it was as if it had been planned "by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." Our attacking might have featured less, but it was far more effective.

Man of the Match? In a defensive performance that was drilled to (almost) perfection, I'd go for Big Dan, who attacked everything in the air and won it just about every time - as well as flinging himself in the way of shots.

But (ain't there always a but with Sunderland?) it's only half-time, (another) but it was a wonderful night, one to savour. Let's do it all again on Tuesday - in front of a full house. Oh, and we've got a new song!