The Lads nipped down the A19 for an early game in the Teesside fug, and should really have been ahead at the break as our good chances missed led theirs by two to one. There was a debut for Hjelde that allowed Hume to revert to right back, and we fought back to grab a point after looking lost in the second half until Rusyn and Roberts arrived on the scene. A point away from home? I'll take that.
Having spent a pleasant half hour in the Elwick services there was an escorted convoy to the ground, where we were greeted with funny faces and four-finger salutes. I assume that constitutes A level maths on Teesside. Mind, the maths must be dodgy when one of Boro's sponsors is Teesworks who seem to have free rein to divert public funds wherever they like.
Patterson
Hume Ballard O'Nien Hjelde
Ekwah Neil
Ba Bellingham Clarke
Burstow
..and a bench of Bishuuurrrp, Seelt, Rusyn, Hemir, Roberts, Kelly, Aouchiche, Mundle, and Pembele
In we went, using our daft portrait format tickets and applauded fans of both persuasions who'd set off on foot from the SoL at 7pm yesterday to raise funds for Boro fan Chris Woods's physio costs. Over £20,000 by kickoff.
In our dayglo yellow kits we defended the end to our fans' left, where the numpty with the drum lived, and the Boro kicked off. Ba had a couple of runs down the right, being fouled 25 out to end the second one. Ekwah curled his left foot effort a foot too high - but we hadn't seen two minutes of play yet. Hume put in a typical block at the other end, then raced upfield to take a Ba pass and see his cross go behind for our first corner on the left. That was put behind for another on the right when Ekwah's effort was blocked, but Boro cleared that one and broke.
Patto was out quickly to save with his knee on the edge, and it should have been a goal to the smogs when it rolled loose along into the middle - but was placed carefully way over the gaping goal.
Oops! A hectic opening ten minutes, and Clarke's first dance of the afternoon (just afternoon) took him along the byline and his shot was pushed around the near post by the keeper. That corner was cleared, and Boro's next break was ended by Hume's first offence - and he got a harsh yellow. We dealt with that free-kick and Hume was up the field to take a pass from Ba only to see his shot saved.
It was then O9's turn to slide in and block at the expense of a corner and when the ref sort of got in the way of it he allowed us to clear and acknowledged our (the fans) howls of complaint with a wave and a smile. Fair enough - if only more in our division had a bit of humour about them.
Luke then ran 70 yards to the edge of their box and got it to Clarke, who won another corner in the left, which was followed by another from the right. Jobe then lost the ball 30 yards from our goal but the Boro player fired wide. At the other end Ba took Hume's pass but saw his effort saved then had another chance when Burstow played him through. He put his fullback on the deck but chose shoot into the side netting. Damn - should have scored, or at least squared it.
Five minutes before the break we should have gone ahead when Bellingham did a Clarke along the byline and got it into the middle. Instead of shooting, Clarke rolled it to Ba but he tried to place it and the bodies flew in to block.
The single added minute brought nothing and it was level at the break. We discussed what needed to change, and that included swapping Burstow as we weren't playing it into the channels he kept threatening to run into, and Ba, who kept making the wrong decisions despite the number of dangerous runs he had made.
We got neither, with Rusyn, Roberts, and Mundle returning to their seats. Boro had changed something and we're into us much quicker, not allowing our midfield to turn and as we stuck to our zones that made us vulnerable. A back pass to Patto had him resorting to Clarke-esque footwork to get shot and for the first fifteen minutes we were all over the shop. What looked like a free to us as we carried it out of defence became a free to them, and we looked like we'd cleared it at least twice before a hideous deflection dropped the ball nicely for Boro and it was fired past Patto's right hand from fifteen yards. Bugger.
If we'd been all over the shop up to that hour point, what followed was even looser as the home side had their tails up and piled forward.
With 67 gone, off went Ba and Burstow, and on came Roberts and Rusyn. There wasn't an immediate improvement but it wasn't long before Naz was chasing down Ayling and battling for the ball in their box, taking a forearm in the face but having a free awarded against him. Ayling received a couple of capes (I think) from our fans, one of which he gave to the ref. That was the only time in the first 20 minutes of the half we'd been in their box, but things changed.
Clarke was suddenly fired up, Roberts was carrying it well on the other side, and a foul on Clarke brought Ayling and overdue yellow. From Clarke's free kick, Ballard glanced a header across and just wide to get our fans going.
Clarke turned inside and fired it right over to Naz on the other corner of the box where he took one touch then blasted it in off the keeper. Gerrinn! 1-1, right minutes to go, let's win it! Our tails were now up and we piled forward, and Ekwah's cross was headed goal wards for an easy save. We won a corner as six extra minutes were announced and right at the end of them Ballard was clattered by Coburn as he got to it on the sideline and we could see, even from the other end it was his shoulder. On came Seelt for surely the shortest ever Sunderland appearance - all of three seconds.
A point rescued, but being picky earlier changes night have won it for us. Still, a good result that'll have is happier than them.
Man of the Match? Hume put in a few trademark tackles, Clarke caught alight eventually, but I think I'll give it to the new Lad who was stronger and quick. Nice one, Hjelde.
