On this day in 2023, Sunderland drew 1-1 away to Premier League side Fulham in the FA Cup Fourth Round. Pierre Ekwah made his debut and a then 15 year old Chris Rigg was denied a late winner by the linesman's flag. Here's Sobs' match report from that day.
Up for the cup, the Lads went a-cottaging to Fulham with the new stand overhanging the River Thames, and went toe to toe with a better than decent Premier League side. In a humdinger of a cup tie, we recovered from the home side's initial dominance in the early stages to produce a display of which we should all be proud. Considering that we lost Stewart after 18 minutes, brought on a 15-year-old and a debutant who's never played any first-team football, it was some performance. Backed by nearly 6,000 travellers in the temporary stand that's been ours for the last twenty years, the Lads got stuck in, showed speed and lovely touches, and were unfortunate to see Rigg's injury-time effort ruled out for offside.
The transfer window, which had looked like being a bit of a damp squib for a while, suddenly let in a lovely gust of new players. Thanks was just as well, as our injury curse cost us Captain Corry with a knackered knee. In came yet more French youth in the considerable shape of Pierre Ekwah from West Ham (a big midfielder at last) and Isaac Lihadji, a forward from Lille. As we were digesting these arrivals, and the managerial upheaval at Everton probably scuppering the return of Simms, Joe "call me Joffy" Gelhardt arrived on loan - but interestingly wasn't given the number 9 shirt. That lot will test our spelling ability. Oh, and Amad's recall clause remained uninvoked - which was in doubt last Sunday afternoon, what with Bruno Fernandez's horrific facial injury. Well, it turned out to be the slightest of touches on his arm....but Amad, the EFL young player of the month, is ours for the rest of the season.
Our journey down brought the news that we'd have VAR for only the second time - and last time it wasn't called into action. Possibly a late departure after the game...but before it we fetched up in Hammersmith for a bevvy or two, and in came the team news .
Patterson
Hume Batth (c) Ballard Alese
Michut Neil
Roberts Amad Clarke
Stewart
..with a bench of (takes deep breath)
Bass, Ekwah, Huggins, Ba, Rigg, Bennette, Kelly, Johnson, Watson. I've heard of most of them!
In our stripes we faced away from our fans, Fulham kicked off and quickly showed why they're 7th in the top division. They looked quick, passed the ball sharply, and moved about the field well - but it was us who went ahead with six minutes gone. Diop dallied, Clarke nicked it off his toe thirty yards out, and galloped into the box before clipping it right-footed beneath the keeper's left hand. Magic and mayhem. Perhaps against the general run of play, but that's what the FA Cup is all about. If the home fans had been quiet before that, they were positively silent after it.
Obviously, the goal lifted our spirits both on the field and off it. In particular Amad seemed to catch cup fever and ran at their left back at every opportunity. Roberts was looking sharp as he carried the ball across behind Stewart - but when he clipped the ball over the back line Stewart pulled up when he couldn't reach it - and in doing so twanged a banjo string. He left the field on a stretcher on 18 minutes and it looks like we'll be lucky to see him again this season. As Eric Clapton once said, if it wasn't for bad luck, we wouldn't have no luck at all - as far as injuries go.
On came Ba, hardly a physical replacement, and we consequently had to change our game and play it through the midfield rather than ask the centre forward to hold it up and lay it off. Roberts held off his man and laid into Amad's path, but the shot wasn't cleanly struck and was dragged wide. Patto did well to take some crosses, but had to rely on his defence to preserve our lead when Pereira hit a volley from the edge. Ballard simply flung himself in the way, and the ball bounced off him, then Patto, to safety. Blood and guts.
Dan Neil battled to win it back near halfway and set Amad away, but this time the shot clipped a defender and flew away from the goal. Four added minutes were played in which the pace didn't let up - there had been shots and saves at both ends, and enough drama to keep all three sets of fans happy - us, them, and the tourists with their half and half scarfs.
I spent the break ripping Pereira to shreds - a very talented footballer who is almost the epitome of what's wrong with Prem players. Short sleeves, gloves, socks over the knees, bleached hair, diving and whining - a few rubbish tattoos and he'd have it nailed.
Alese didn't reappear for the second half, replaced by Huggins, and we were clearly lifted by whatever Mowbray had said during the break, but the home side lifted their game as well. Patto pulled off the first of a string of top-class saves, Roberts weaved past the home defence and teed up Amad again - but this time the keeper made a fine save. After another decent Patto save, another Amad effort wouldn't stick in the keeper's hands and Clarke was inches away from getting to the loose ball. Dan Neil had a chance when a corner from the right fell to him on the edge but he slashed the shot wide.
It was getting pretty frantic, with both sides going for it, and it looked like Roberts would double our advantage when he sprinted through from the right, but slotted his shot a foot beyond the far post. Close, and I don't think Amad was best pleased not to have received a pass.
A couple of minutes later the importance of a second goal was emphasised when Cairney got a yard away from Ballard as our defenders dived in, and fired in low on the hour. Very disappointing, but considering the number of shots going in at both ends another goal was hardly a shock. It brought a ripple of sounds from the home fans, but that was quickly drowned out as we roared our defiance back in their faces. Hell, we're a noisy set.
Home sub Will.I.An saw a free kick saved by Patto, then Ekwah and Bennette replaced Clarke and Michut. Roberts was a joy to watch, and yet another exchange of passes with Amad led to Paddy and Ekwah (he's a big lad) both having shots saved. That was the last we saw of Roberts as he made way for Rigg, but it was Patto in action again to keep us level.
Four added minutes were announced, Ba was played in on the right and his low cross was crashed high into the net by Rigg. As we went ballistic, the linesman signalled goal, but the ref put his hand to his ear and signalled that VAR had indicated that Ba was offside. Oh...well.
There was still time for Patto to pull off another impressive save, from a close-range effort, and that was the end of a thoroughly entertaining cup tie.
There was an awful lot to be proud of out there today, and anyone still naysaying Mowbray and the recruitment people would do well to watch the game again. Several times. We're not perfect, but that performance was absolutely top drawer. Of course, losing Stewart is a stinker, but we have resilience in boatloads and we'll keep on keeping on - we're a proper team.
Man of the March? For a bit bairn, Ballard is some rugged centre-half, and looks the business. However, it's a shared award from me today, with Patto's they-shall-not-pass performance matching the swashbuckling display of Roberts.
In the fifth round draw for the first time in ages. Well done Lads.
