Sunderland had to come from behind to draw 1-1 with relegated Northampton Town on Sunday at the SOL after an uninspiring performance. Lee Johnson’s side fell behind five minutes before full time through a deflected free kick from Sam Hoskins. Sunderland did draw level immediately through Carl Winchester but will need to dramatically improve their performance levels for the playoffs where we will face Lincoln City.
Lee Johnson made one change to the side that beat Plymouth last weekend with Charlie Wyke replacing Ross Stewart up front. Stewart wasn’t named on the substitutes bench so had presumably joined Sunderland’s injured list.
The lads got the game underway kicking towards the Roker End and were on the front foot early on with Jordan Jones forcing the keeper into a save low to his right with a shot from the edge of the box. We forced a corner after five minutes after a decent bit of play saw Lynden Gooch stand a cross up from the right towards Charlie Wyke which the keeper tipped over for a corner. The visitors cleared the corner at the second attempt after a second ball got stuck underneath the feet of Jack Diamond before he could get a shot away.
At the other end Bailey Wright was skinned after getting too close to Ryan Watson but Watson’s ambitious lob from 35 yards sailed over the bar. Sunderland then won a corner after Jack Diamond’s cross from the right was cut out and Jordan Jones picked out Diamond from the corner, but his header was way over.
After 20 minutes Sunderland were awarded a free kick on the touchline when Connor McLaughlin was fouled by Mikel Miller who received the first yellow card of the afternoon. Jordan Jones swung the resulting free kick into the box, but the ref blew straight away penalising Sunderland for a foul.
As a spectacle the game was very poor with chances at a premium and reminiscent of the first half at the SOL against Blackpool a few weeks ago. On the stroke of half time Sunderland looked a bit more threatening when Lynden Gooch delivered a good cross into the box which was put behind for a corner before Charlie Wyke could pounce. The corner was cleared only as far as Jack Diamond who dwelled on the ball too long in the box and was tackled.
There was two minutes added time where Sunderland did manage a shot with Max Power firing wide from the edge of the box after being teed up by Lynden Gooch. Responding to the poor opening half Lee Johnson made a change at the break replacing Jack Diamond with Aiden McGeady.
Sunderland forced an early corner down the left after a good run by Jones who had switched flanks following the introduction of McGeady. The corner was swung into the front post and cleared before McGeady picked up the loose ball on the angle of the box but overhit his cross to the back post.
Lynden Gooch forced the keeper into a decent save five minutes after the restart when he latched onto a flick on from Charlie Wyke. However, the keeper was out quickly at the feet of Gooch to deny the American. Sunderland went close again soon after when Jones cut in from the right but his shot from the edge of the box hit the side netting.
With half an hour remaining Sunderland were almost caught out after some sloppy defending saw Luke O’Nien forced into a rash challenge on Marshall on the edge of the box. O’Nien was booked for the challenge before the free kick was deflected wide for the corner. The corner presented Northampton with their best chance of the game so far with Morris heading Mikel’s cross wide.
Sunderland then had a penalty shout waved away after Gooch tumbled under pressure in the box before Lee Johnson made a triple change with Leadbitter, O’Brien and Winchester replacing Scowen, Wyke and Power.
The visitors had another attempt from a corner go wide after Horsfall glanced Miller’s cross wide before at the other end Aiden O’Brien clipped a shot over the bar. With 15 minutes remaining Sunderland forced a corner after Grant Leadbitter’s clever ball over the top was nodded behind. Jones’ corner ran all the way over to McGeady on the left who beat his man with a brilliant piece of skill, but his cross was too deep and went out for a goal kick.
Sunderland should have taken the lead with just over ten minutes remaining with a move started and finished by Jordan Jones. Jones picked the ball up midway inside the Northampton half and played a one two with Charlie Wyke but blazed Wyke’s perfect lay off over the bar from just inside the box. A minute later Chris Maguire tried his luck 25 yards from goal, but his well struck effort was held by the keeper.
At the other end Bailey Wright was booked when he upended Caleb Chukwuemeka on the edge of the box. Northampton took the lead from the free kick after Hoskins’ low shot took a big deflection of the wall ricocheting up into the top right-hand corner past the stretching Lee Burge.
Sunderland levelled almost immediately with Carl Winchester finding the back of the net with one of the easiest goals he will ever score. Jordan Jones had crossed from the right, but his cross struck the inside of the post before falling kindly at the feet of Winchester in the six-yard box who bundled the ball into the back of the net.
There was four minutes added time and although Sunderland dominated the ball in this period, they didn’t create anything, and it ended all square.
Final Score: Sunderland 1 Northampton Town 1
ALS Man of the Match: Jordan Jones
