TOMMY TIME

Tommy Watson! That a brilliant young local lad, who had been booed by his own friends for his premature exit, supplied the crowning moment to a breathless and magical play-off push. This had certainly been written in the stars.

His one sublime moment and last kick for Sunderland sent 40,000 supporters into raptures and provided the defining moment of this pulsating encounter, while writing his short-lived Black Cats’ career into folklore. The exquisite finesse with which he curled the ball with perfect precision into the far corner of the net beyond the outstretched arms of Michael Cooper illustrated why Brighton have paid so much for him. In that one second, Tommy handsomely paid back his club for turning him into a young star.

The electric atmosphere of this match began with the Sunderland end, a sea of red and white waving flags and a magnificent Black Cat banner, facing the Sheffield United end, with puny fluttering scarves and empty seats. A demonstration of the fans’ mismatch where it was clear one side wanted it so much more than the other. 

On the pitch, however, it didn’t quite prove the same as in the early stages when a nervous young team were overwhelmed by powerful seasoned opponents. In just the second minute Patto was forced into a brilliant save from Kieffer Moore. Things went from bad to worse when our talismanic leader Luke O’Nien left the field with a shoulder injury that has plagued him over the years.

Then the ever-dangerous Tyrese Campbell who ran our defense ragged in the first half finished clinically following a swift counter attack after we squandered the ball with a short corner. The key moment of the game then came with a fortunate VAR decision after a Burrows volley appeared to have provided the killer blow.

We went into the second half relieved to still be in the game and came out a team transformed as we dominated the ball and looked for an equaliser. The Blades remained dangerous, however, with their counter attacks threatening to do to us what we had done so many times to other teams this season. Le Bris, who didn’t put a foot wrong, then sought to compound our dominance by bringing on the fresh legs of Roberts, Isidor and (most tellingly) Waston for the flagging Rigg, Neil and Mundle.

Wild celebrations quickly followed as Mayenda finished emphatically in the top corner to put us level. There was only one team going to win it in the final minutes as the Blades’ supporters fell silent with the departure of Campbell and Hamer and the Sunderland fans roared on the Lads.

Then on 90+5 came Watson’s wonderful moment that capped an incredible season. We had done it! After eight long and sometimes dark years, we are finally back where we belong.