On this day in 2023, Sunderland put Middlesbrough to the sword. Ross Stewart scored, Amad scored and Tony Mowbray was manager. A year is a long time in footy! Here's Sobs' report from that day...
The Lads took on our nearest Championship opponents and ran out winners thanks to Stewart following up his own second-half penalty and Amad doing what Amad does. We controlled the majority of the game and missed some good chances, but were well worth the three vital points.
It had been a strange week, with us coming to terms with last Saturday"s result and O9"s antics - antics that mean we'll be without him for a while, giving a chance for Wright to claim his place. A bit ironic, as he's been the subject of media speculation that he'll be on his way in the summer because his age means he doesn't quite fit the current Sunderland specification.
There's been only one rumoured incoming - midfielder Pierre Ekwah on loan from West Ham, which seems a bit strange as we've just let Mate go to Plymouth until May. Obviously we're shouting for striking back-up, but with Antoine Semenyo (remember him? Probably not, and for good reason) now valued at £10million, I can't see us affording anyone who's any use. Bring back Simms, I say. Sunday kick off meant a blank Saturday, but the weather meant Northern League games were off the menu. An extra day to sort Millwall transport, and to set the alarm for this morning. Sorry, but hitting town before ten on a Sunday morning, to the sound of the minster bells, just isn't right.
As expected, the smoggy hordes came up the A19, minus their loose change and phone battery packs, with their Stone Island scarves pulled high and their goggled hoods pulled low to keep out that unaccustomed phenomenon, daylight, to take in the fresh Wearside air. Bless them, they're so desperate to be hated by another club - any club - but my feelings towards them are just mild irritation.
FTB anyway, and as we made our way to the ground to a chorus of disapproval from police dogs and helicopters, in came the team news...
Patterson
Hume Ballard Batth Alese
Evans Neil
Roberts Amad Clarke
Stewart
..and a bench of Bass, Ba, Wright, Dajaku, Michut, Bennette, and Taylor. Plus most of North Yorkshire polis on overtime.
Not bad at all, we reckoned in the Roker End Cafe as Dylan and his dad explained their thoughts on Boro - they're apparently like the little brother trying unsuccessfully to join in the big lads' games, and who probably looks like the milkman.
With the away end looking like a fight at the aforementioned clothes store, they kicked off north.
Not pressing as high as usual, and with Amad again given the free role behind him, Stewart was caught offside then the ref gave them the decision after they'd fouled Evans in the left back area. A very poor decision, and one that had Michut warning up after only five minutes.
An easy low save by Patto from distance was followed by a poor clearance from the Boro keeper that went straight to Amad on the edge of the box, but he shot wide. A really bad miss with eight minutes gone, that was.
Evans was down again soon after, with work being carried out on his knee, and he was off for Michut on eleven. Well done Boro, you kicked our captain out of the game, but at least the ref saw the next foul on Stewart on halfway, unlike last week's numbnut of an official.
On fourteen Clarke cut inside and was fouled, needing treatment, and the free was slung in from thirty yards out only for Amad's deflected looper to be saved.
Ten minutes later Roberts ran to the edge and fed Amad who crossed, and saw the shot saved, but Stewart was correctly judged offside when he blasted the loose ball high into the net. Bugger.
On 27 we put together a nice move down the right, but tried to walk it in and Boro got bodies in the way. We won the game's first corner on 33, on our right - but a foul was given when several players went over. Boro forged a break from the free kick, and there was a great low save by Patto for a corner on our right which Stewart headed on for one in the other side. On 38 Amad set Roberts away and his low cross from the right was clipped over the bar by Stewart from only a few yards. Close but nee fancy tab.
Another corner on our right on 39 was headed wide by Hume at near post as Roberts looked to tease the visiting defence. Clarke then had another chance to break and cross, but fannied about way too much and was caught out on the edge of the box. A foul on Ballard was missed and we needed a last - ditch block to divert a shot for a corner on 42 - then another more contentious one given by the linesman, with Patto eventually collecting the knock back in at the second attempt.
We made it hard for ourselves by holding onto it a shade too long in certain areas, and four added minutes were announced as Ballard diverted a shot for another corner. We broke from this and Stewart's cross from near the goal line on the right was defended scrappily but effectively. Patto's clearance then saw Stewart gamble on the defender missing it, which he did, but the LND's volley on the bounce from the edge was well saved and that was half time.
I suspect Boro will have been happier than us, as we'd had three really good chances and coped well with the loss of our captain. They'd committed a number of fouls which were deliberate rather than late or unfortunate, so in that respect they were lucky not to have received at least one yellow.
Beware any second-half changes in tactics by Carrick, and watch out for the Road Runner coming off the bench, we thought during the break. No changes for either side, though.
We had an early break but Hume's 1-2 with Stewart failed, and immediately after that great patient defending by Ballard on 50 set Stewart on a goalward gallop and he was hauled down in the box. Red card, penalty, no arguments. His effort was saved but the rebound bobbled up beautifully for him to tap home from a yard or so.
A Michut shot was then deflected over for a corner and that move ended with Stewart knocking it over the top. There was a nice spell of Sunderland pressure that forced some bad defensive decisions by the visitors - even with McNair coming on as a sub. We produced some lovely stuff without getting a shot away when a second would have been fully justified and have probably killed the game off. Patto scrambled a save, but Boro scuffed the loose ball wide when we failed to clear on 58.
Amad got it out to Roberts and Michut's shot from the low cross hit a completely unaware keeper, then Archer came on for them. Alese needed treatment on 65 after a vital challenge on halfway - off he went, with Wright eventually coming on and Hume moving forward as we went three at the back. Boro had looked better with ten men, but we probably helped by slowing it to their pace. Patience is one thing, Lads, but a second goal is more important.
Boro managed some pressure as they passed their way forward, and we had to block a shot over the top at the expense of a corner on 78. Two minutes later, as Bennette and Ba made ready to come on, we worked it from Neil to the right, and Amad did what he loves doing - stepping inside to whip in a left-footer. Marvellous, just marvellous.
Mind, to be honest, we were expecting him to be subbed before the goal but on came Ba and Bennette for Clarke and Roberts for the final ten, so Watmore came on for them.
Stewart then blazed wide when there were options, but I couldn't blame him for that. He probably still had the penalty save in his mind! Five added minutes were announced, we played keep-ball very well, allowing the Boro only the odd break, and in truth absolutely controlled the closing period for a well- deserved win.
Phew. I'm never over confident about playing that lot at home, but we did our job well and didn't really look like losing despite my negative outlook. In truth, we should really have had it wrapped up in the first half, but to miss some good chances and still win 2-0 is a good performance.
Man of the Match? Another great Amad goal, another assured bit of solidity by Ballard, but for me it was yet another outstandingly mature performance from Dan Neil at the heart of things that gets my vote.
Oh, and a word for the referee. I know the bar's been set at World Championship Limbo level, but he was OK.
