On this day two years ago, Sunderland left it late yet again to beat Shrewsbury Town 3- 2 at the
SOL to continue their push for the play-offs (Spoiler alert, they won them). Here's the ALS match report from that day.
The Lads were on course for a comfortable victory after racing into the lead thanks to stunning strikes from Elliot Embleton and Nathan Broadhead. However Sunderland fell apart after half time and were pegged back with goals from Josh Vela and Tom Flanagan. (Typical). Fortunately, Nathan Broadhead struck in injury time to seal a vital three points for then Alex Neil’s side.
Former Sunderland defender Tom Flanagan lined up for the visitors in the side named by former Sunderland assistant Steve Cotterill.
The lads got the game underway kicking towards the Roker End and we won an early free kick in a good position when Ross Stewart was fouled on the edge of the box. Sunderland took the lead from the set piece after Nathan Broadhead clipped the free kick into the wall before it fell to Embleton who smashed the ball into the top corner. It was a sublime finish by Embleton who rifled the ball into the top right hand corner on the half volley with his left foot.
Sunderland had another effort on goal a couple of minutes later when Gooch’s cross was cleared only as far as Matete but he fired over. At the other end Shrewsbury had an effort on goal when Vela nodded goal wards from a long throw but Patterson gathered it easily.
The lads doubled their lead after12 minutes after another good spell of sustained pressure. Elliott Embleton found Dennis Cirkin in a decent position 25 yards from goal and Cirkin drew a good save from the keeper with a powerful left footed effort. The rebound though fell kindly for Sunderland and Nathan Broadhead and he smashed the ball into the bottom right hand corner from just inside the box with a superb finish.
After 20 minutes Jack Clarke picked up a yellow card for a late challenge after he tried to recover the ball after losing it on the edge of the Shrewsbury box. Five minutes later Sunderland went close to a third when Broadhead drove into the box and was tackled but Gooch’s left footed shot curled just wide of the post.
Shrewsbury had the ball in the back of the net on the stroke of half time but the linesman had his flag up for offside. Two minutes later the visitors went close when they got in behind Sunderland’s defence but Bowman clipped his shot wide of the right hand post. There was four minutes added time and Shrewsbury had another effort after a long throw but Leahy’s header looped over the bar.
The lads were applauded off at the break after a good first half performance which saw us lead 2-0 at the break although it got a but sloppy from Sunderland towards the end of the half. Neither side made a change at the break before the visitors restarted the game.
Shrewsbury pulled a goal back five minutes into the restart through Josh Vela after a sloppy start from the lads. Although Bailey Wright appeared to be fouled on the half way line the ref waved play on and allowed Shrewsbury to break. George Nurse played the ball from the left into the path of Josh Vela into the centre of the box and he slotted the ball past Patterson into the bottom right hand corner. Ten minutes into the restart the visitors drew level just as Alex Neil was about to make a change.
Shrewsbury had won a corner on the left which had been conceded by Lynden Gooch. The cross was played into the box from the corner and Pennington headed towards goal but Sunderland cleared. The loose ball fell kindly for Flanagan who smashed a left footed shot past Patterson who couldn’t keep his shot out despite getting a hand to his effort.
The lads were all over the place with Patterson having to clear a back pass from Bailey Wright before Alex Neil made his first change with Evans replacing Embleton. We forced a corner after 65 minutes after Gooch’s shot from long range was deflected over the box. The visitors cleared the set piece as far as Gooch who fired off target from outside the box.
With 20 minutes remaining the lads had a flurry of chances to retake the lead but somehow Sunderland didn’t find the back of the net. First the ball dropped for Broadhead and his shot was blocked before Stewart hit the bar with a shot. Matete then had an effort deflected over the bar as Sunderland started to regain control of the game.
Alex Neil made his second change of the afternoon for the final ten minutes of the game with Patrick Roberts replacing Lynden Gooch. He found space on the right hand side of the box after 82 minutes but he blazed a shot over despite a cross being a better option.
Five minutes before time Sunderland went close to a winner and Ross Stewart to breaking his baron spell in front of goal. Broadhead did well in the right hand side of the box to cross for Stewart who stabbed a shot goal wards but the keeper was equal to his effort. Alex Neil then made his final change of the afternoon with Dan Neil replacing Jay Matete.
Luke O’Nien picked up a yellow card in the closing stages for a dive in the box trying to win a penalty. There was five minutes added time and Sunderland sealed the victory in the second of those thanks to another late goal. Jack Clarke tossed the ball into the box which appeared to take a deflection and loop up kindly for Nathan Broadhead to nod into the back of the net and seal the victory.
Phew! Final Score: Sunderland 3 Shrewsbury Town 2
ALS Man of the Match: Nathan Broadhead
