SOBS V FOREST

The Lads welcomed Forest to Wearside and... Look, you probably don't want to read this any more than I want to write it, but here goes.

Perhaps letting in four at Villa should have been a bit of a hint, but on a sunny evening with a positive mood around the town the ground was turned on its head by a first half display that almost defied belief, with our previously tight defence letting in another five. I could have been at the comedy club at Bishop town hall where the comedy was intentional....

As expected, a fit Ballard replaced Luke as we line up:

Roefs 

Mukiele Ballard Alderete Hume

Xhaka (c) Sadiki 

Le Fee Diarra Rigg

Brobbey 

... and a bench of Reinildo, Isidor, O'Nien, Talbi, Mayenda, Ellborg, Cirkin, Geertruida, and H. Jones.

Forest kicked off south, and the opening exchanges were just that - open. However, we quickly set the tone for our performance by giving the ball away several times as we attempted to get it out of defence. A Forest corner on their right just after the quarter hour found Jesus at the back post (insert inappropriate joke here) and his free header went in off Hume. Pah.

Their 21, Hutchinson, on the right seemed to be a magnet for every loose Sunderland pass as well as the more accurate ones from his mates, meaning that we were forever on the back foot. Roefs joined in the fun on about 30 with a pass straight to the visitors and Wood made it two. By the time we'd started to analyse that, Jesus was at it again, this time heading down for the in-form Gibbs Toothpaste-White to fire in. 

No time to catch our breath after that - only three minutes before we couldn't deal with a corner and there was Jesus again to whack in the loose ball.

Jesus indeed.

By this time Rigg was trying to put everything right by himself, flying all over the field while the rest tried to work out where to go to get the ball - but I don't think we won a second ball all night. At least we stemmed the tide and forced a save with a low shot from the right on 40 - but that was as good as it got. Forest had managed five efforts on target and three had gone in, plus one from the unfortunate Hume.

Three added minutes, as if you're bothered, and when the whistle went Mukiele was clearly upset by someone in the east stand. To be honest he was that wound up I thought he might be replaced for the second half, but it was Rigg which didn't reappear - which was a bit unlucky for the Lad.

On came Reinildo with Hume going to the right and Mukiele pushing forward while Forest looked more than happy with what they'd got - as you would. Alderete had a low shot saved as he and Dan tried their luck up top before the big talking point of the half. A free by Xhaka into the box was headed on and Dan hoyed himself at the ball in the air - GOAL ON THE HOUR!

Oh no it wasn't, as VAR first checked for offside (impossible) then a foul, then couldn't make its mind up and sent the ref to the little telly. Five minutes after the ball had entered the net, a foul was given - Nordi on the keeper, and our mood wasn't lightened when they showed it on the big screen and the ref immediately didn't give a free for an identical challenge in the centre circle.

On came Issy for Diarra in an attempt to skin their defence, who'd spent the evening so far crowding around BB so he couldn't turn. Issy showed his pace a few times, and had a shot on the turn saved, but with twenty to go Forest had a spell of taking the micky - as you would at 4-0 away from home. 

Xhaka was carded for claiming a deflection on his shot a bit too vigorously, then Aldo fired over from the edge. Enzo then blasted one in only for the keeper to pull off the save of the evening. Oh, ha'way, let's have a bit of consolation!

Seven added minutes were announced and Brian made the foolish comment that Forest hadn't had a shot of any description in the second half. They duly broke and had a shot - a tap in for Anderson on 95. 

...and that was that.

Man of the Match? I'll not bother, but I suspect it'd have been Rigg had he been kept on.