On this day two years ago we played the first leg of our 2022 League One playoffs against Sheffield Wednesday so we decided to revisit Sobs' match report.
In front of nigh-on a full house, Sunderland kept their cool and edged the first half of the play-off semi’s thanks to Ross Stewart’s battling goal on the stroke of half time. A spell of pressure at the start of the second half, with Clarke and Roberts pushing forwards, deserved a second goal, but the main thing was that our defence was rock solid and didn’t allow Wednesday behind them. Job a little more than half done. Nice one.
I should really be able to manage my nerves after so many years of following the Lads, but I can’t and was like a very nervous kitten all day. I’m not sure what kittens are supposed to be like when they’re nervous, but I’m pretty sure it’s me. The Green Tree was rocking as we waited for the bus, the bus was rocking as we crawled through the big match traffic (memories, memories), and the queues outside the ground were very much big match. And 44,742 folks crammed inside. The flags were everywhere, the away end was packed, and as the Lads came out there were giant cat’s eyes in the east stand to accompany the pyrotechnics. The atmosphere cranked right up there and Wednesday kicked off towards their fans.
Patterson
Wright Batth Cirkin
Gooch Evans O’Nien Clarke
Pritchard Roberts
Stewart
Subs: Hoffmann, Neil, Embleton, Matete, Doyle, Hume, McGeady
The opening exchanges were a bit frantic as the occasion got into the systems of the players, and it got a bit cagey but with us looking more likely to do something. A few minutes in Roberts ran across the box from the right and saw his left-footer saved. When Wednesday did get forward, our back line, led by Wright, was rock solid and gave them no quarter. Were we playing a flat back four or three with wingbacks? It didn’t really matter as we got the ball to Gooch numerous times and he jinked about and ran at the visiting defence at every opportunity. While neither side wanted to allow the other to make the crucial breakthrough, the game never really descended into the stalemate that sometimes befalls first legs. We dominated the midfield, largely down to Evans, but the centre circle remained glaringly empty, crying out for the likes of Embo or Neil to pick up the ball and thread a pass into the danger area. Wednesday’s keeper had been wasting time since the start, and continued to get on our nerves with the time he took for goal kicks.
Wednesday did create a chance, but the header was straight into Patto’s hands from the back post and was nothing to worry about.
Stewart did well to hold it up and place it nicely for Evans to shoot, but our skipper showed why he’s in midfield and not up front by slicing it well off target on the half hour. The player we’d been worried about, Pritch lookalike Bannan, was allowed to time on the ball as we closed him down and his team-mates preferred to drop back than risk a forward pass.
The game looked to be heading for the break level when a single added minute was announced and we slung a long one to Stewart on the edge of the box. His marker looked a tad hesitant, big Ross simply outmuscled him, and fired his shot against the keeper’s legs. Quick as a flash, he directed the loose ball across the goal and in from a very tight angle to send bodies tumbling over seats, even in the North West corner where we’re usually more controlled than that. A very well taken goal, and no more than we deserved – and just at the right time, although there’s never a wrong time to score a goal.
No changes in personnel for the second half, but Roberts and Clarke pushed right forward and we really ripped into them. With the crowd roaring them on, the Lads making the visiting defence look nervous. Pritch was key in this, having much more of the ball and twice coming close to getting the crucial second goal. He took a pass from Clarke on the left corner of the box and quickly mad space for a curling shot that whacked off the bar and up into the night sky before the defence got it away, then was in the right place after Roberts jinked his was in from the right as fired in a shot that looked destined for glory, only for Peacock-Farrell to tip it over the bar. At this stage a second looked probable rather than possible, and Roberts nearly got it but a defender’s toe deflected his shot over, and we were winning corners regularly with Gooch the only man staying back and his defensive marras crowding the box. After being so fast-paced, it was no surprise that the game ran out of a bit of steam after 70 or so, and Wednesday built an attack that ended with a rather tame header straight at Patto. Roberts immediately retaliated with a low shot that didn’t quite curl enough, but the visitors managed to get hold of the ball for a spell and give us a bit of grief. However, out well-drilled back line simply didn’t allow them to get behind, and the attacks floundered at the feet and heads of Batth, Wright, Gooch, and Cirkin.
Pritch, job done, was replaced by Matete on 80, and five minute later Embo came on for Roberts – job done again. We nearly got that elusive second when a long one over the top ticed their keeper to run out of the box and head it- weakly, as it turned out, and Stewart was onto it, but as he raced goalwards Embo ran the wrong side and Stewart had to shoot, with the ball than skidded wide of the far post. That really would have been the killer.
Doyle replaced Cirkin for the final few minutes, four added were announced, and we saw the game out with 65% possession for a deserved win. Will the single goal be enough? Who knows, but our manager loves a clean sheet.
Man of the Match? Great stuff from Roberts, great leadership from Wright and Evans, but I’ll give it to Gooch for being solid in defence and dangerous in attack.
