SOBS V BURNLEY

The Lads welcomed Burnley to Wearside aiming to get three points closer to the magic forty (or forty one, as Tut claimed in the Vic yesterday, just to get me wound up) and properly spanked them. Two from Diarra (never mind that "og" nonsense) and a beaut from Talbi-bi-bi were enough to beat an initially spirited but ultimately toothless Burnley side and bump us a few places up the league...and there’s another side that can’t do the double over us.

As it's transfer deadline day, most of us had been watching (surreptitiously or otherwise) the comings and goings. Two players who've had a massive impact on where we are today, but deserve more game time - Patto and Neil - have left, and Paddy Roberts, equally important in our climb up the divisions, has made his loan permanent. Good luck and thank you. One who's been no more than a bit part player, Hjelde, has headed back to Yorkshire on loan to Sheffield United. Apparently Adingra, who's not really set Wearside alight, is on his way to France as we brought in our first Ecuadorian, Nilson Angulo, from Anderlecht. Oh, and another promising young keeper in Swede Melker Ellborg - hence Patto's departure.

I'll admit to being ridiculously nervous before this one. Of course, the Swiss hole in our midfield that West Ham exploited needed to be filled. Bring Luke back just to be a captain? Start Diarra? Give recent Liverpool target (a measure of where we are) Geertruida a game?

All of the above added to my mental state, but it was the Sunderland bubble that I couldn't bear being burst that had me chowing the fingernails. I'm a Sunderland fan, it comes with the territory - a six- pointer, even if the two teams are where they are for a reason.

I needn't have worried!

Roefs

Mukiele Ballard Alderete Reinildo

Hume (c) Le Fee Sadiki Diarra Talbi.

Brobbey

... and a bench of O'Nien, Cirkin, Moore, Geertruida, Rigg, Mayenda, Isidor, Jones (J), and Mundle.

Let's see who plays where, as we faced North on a dampish, cold, and draughty night and they, all in pale blue, set things away after Xhaka's rallying call on the scoreboard.

We played patient stuff, sounding out the visitors - dead silence. Brobbey had the life of whichever centre half tried in vain to deal with him, and we'd not even gone ten minutes when he flicked the ball to Diarra in the box, and he sent defenders this way and that to work space for the shot - which took a big deflection but was on target anyway - that put us ahead.

And relax.

Relax? Omar was doing things like backheel tackles and Cruyff turns which were wonderful when they came off, which they almost all did, but put the scares on us when they didn't. A cross from the right looked dangerous but Talbi's cushioned volley went well wide in the quarter hour. Just get the second, please Lads.

With both sides dropping deep quickly when needed, there wasn't a lot of room in attack - but we found some and Burnley didn't. A Le Fee shot was well struck but too close to Dubravka, who was roundly booed (what other shape of boo is there?) whenever he touched the ball. Enzo then sent Mukiele away with a 60 yard pass and his cross was picked up by Diarra, charging into the box again, and after he simply whacked it past Dubravka. 32 gone, driving seat well and truly occupied.

With Big Dan taking everything in the air, and moving it forward on the ground, Burnley got a bit frustrated and there was a yellow for a foul on Diarra - a sign of things to come. Four extra minutes were announced, we were determined to make it to the break with a clean sheet - and we did. Well worth the two goal lead.

Stefan Schwartz did the draw before Josh "pretty boy" Kelly, Sunderland's very own boxing world champ, announced a title defence at the SoL in the summer. Which will be nice.

No changes for us, but Thunderbird puppet and Grattan's catalogue model Scotty Parker made one for the visitors. Within 30 seconds they'd won their second corner of the game, which we cleared and eventually set Talbi on a 70 yard dash that left Kyle Walker in his wake - but it went for a goal kick, just so we could give Dubravka a bit more grief. To be fair to Burnley, that was just about the only time we got the ball over halfway in the opening eight minutes, but they never looked dangerous. A free was headed way over, almost hitting their own fans, before - at last! - we got a free for pulling on Brobbey. After nearly an hour.

Reinildo then got forward to switch feet and fire over, which prompted a double change for Burnley - two more big lads. When Mukiele drove into the box he found Brobbey, but the shot on the turn was well saved. Dubravka's next involvement was to shove Hume after making a save, and both were booked - unlucky for Trai, I thought, definite red for Dubravka. I thought. Mind, I am biased. Just a bit.

A few meaty challenges got the crowd going, Burnley made another sub, and there was a card for a late one on Dan near halfway. Mukiele drove into the box again, but Brobbey's attempt missed the ball completely. Never mind, we then strung together ten or so passes before Talbi looked up from 20 yards and curled an absolute worldie into the top corner beyond the keeper's left hand. Clever Lad. Girrup!

... and really relax, with 20 to go. And to think some had been suggesting taking Talbi off in favour of Mundle. I’m looking over my shoulder at you, Dave!

Burnley did manage a shot, but when you’re down and being threatened with being out, luck’s rarely on your side – it hit a blue shoulder and flew way high and wide. When their fans start serenading their team with “we’re sh*** and we know we are”, you just know it’s your night. We’ve been there often enough with various Sunderland teams - not this one, though.

Twelve to go, and time to freshen things up with the game won. Off went Diarra, Brobbey, and Talbi, replaced by Issy, Gerty, and Mundle. Oh, and they brought on yet another, but left Ward-Prowse on the bench. Nice one, Scotty.

Hume moved inside from his position on the right to get onto the end of a clever series of passes, but his shot was deflected for a corner on the right, which was cleared and there were a series of ironic “OLEs” from the dwindling set of away fans when they strung four passes together. You have to wonder where they were dwindling to – has the Colliery Tavern got a stock of Benedictine especially for the occasion? Omar took an knock, so with five to go on came O’Nien to great applause. Three up against weak opposition – go get ‘em, Luke! Which he did, playing his part in keeping our sheet clean and making sure Roefs had nowt to do but play it out.

With a minute to go there was a lovely piece of interplay, all volleyed, around the edge of their box which ended with a shot from Issy that was saved. Four added minutes were announced, Enzo was flattened in our half but the ref, rightly, waved play on, and when the attack broke down booked Walker.

There you have it - a comprehensive win in a game that was only a six pointer in my head, and which emphasised what we’ve done right and what Burnley haven’t. We overhauled our squad, they tweaked theirs. We went for broke, they went for the same old same old –and it resulted in the fifth game this season (I think fifth) that they’ve not had a shot on target. Fortress SoL indeed.

Man of the Match? Brobbey once again proved himself an absolute beast against two big lads, Le Fee twinkled like the star he is, and Ballard – well, he’s big and he’s rather hard. No point lobbing high balls and long balls at our Dan, ‘cos he simply loves it. Apologies for the rest of the Lads, you all did well.

Anyway, it’s Diarra. Two goals (aye, two) and movement between both boxes that kept us watchers on our toes.

That one was for Neil Scott. RIP - the pre-season tour “Irish” dancing in the Temple Bar in Dublin will never be forgotten.