Just when we thought there must be corner to turn around, we crashed into yet another wall. Distant observers might – and have – theorise(d) that we’re still in the top few, so why would we get shot of the manager? A Cheltenham side that were no great shakes, and that‘s not meant to be disparaging towards them, showed why, as they quite simply took us apart with a no-nonsense second half display that we couldn’t deal with.
Last night proves we were correct to change leadership, but, shamefully, we didn’t have anyone capable of taking on what most observers would reckon to be the best squad in the division and getting a result out of them. We screamed for change after the weekend, and we got it.
Patterson
Hume (at least they gave him a Trai) Batth Doyle Cirkin
Matete Evans
Dajaku Pritchard Clarke
Stewart
Having met up with Russ in the Angry Parrot and the South West Durham boys in Spoons, there was still time to catch up with Stu from work in the Kemble before taking up our positions at the match – along with an impressive number of travellers for a midweek away game in the south west. Initially, we looked the business, although without really giving the home keeper much to worry about after Cheltenham had set things away kicking towards “our” end. Clarke, continuing his positive play from the weekend, got amongst the home defence to get in our first shot, but it was off target. Still, a decent start. He was proving to be our biggest threat going forward, with Matete impressive at the foot of midfield, and when his cross went in from the right, Stewart was called offside as his header came back off the bar. Without having been brilliant in any way shape or form, we were well on top and looked very capable of getting ahead – if only we could have actually created more real chances. Clarke cut inside to set up Evans, but the shot was way off target and we began to wonder if we’d manage to bother the home keeper.
We did. A foul a little outside the box was perfect for Pritch just after the half hour, and as many of us pointed to where he should put the ball, the keeper steadfastly held his ground on the other side of the goal and wee Alex simply clipped the ball over the wall and into the keeper’s top left corner. A beautiful goal, and one that would have MOTD pundits repeating the video endlessly. From that position of advantage, we should really have hammered home our advantage and clicked at least another goal, but despite looking quite slick, there was only a shot by Dajaku, taking a pass from Hume, and that was well saved. There was a single added minute, and we were quite happy with our first half showing, despite being only the one goal ahead - a second could and should have made things certain, but we’re Sunderland, aren’t we?
1-0 up at the break, and we were well worth that lead, but the second half – well, I just don’t know. There were no changes to our line-up, and that was fair enough, but we simply stopped performing. It wasn’t as if Cheltenham suddenly became Real Madrid, but Stewart was outmuscled by Mattie Pollock (son of Boro’s Jamie) and Raglan ( a good jumper – ask yer knitting granny) so there were no knockdowns for Pritch to feed off. A real blast of a shot from their right flew across Patto via a slight deflection and into the side of the net to level things, and we never really looked like recovering from that. Well, I say that, but not long after Stewart was onto Hume’s nice pass down the inside right channel and, out of my line of sight, his low shot beat the keeper but went the wrong side of the post. A ray of hope, perhaps? We raised our game for a spell, with Clarke and Cirkin doing good work to set up a headed chance for the smallest man on the field, but Pritch’s effort was met by a horde of bodies on the line and it was cleared. With twelve to go, we stood off the home side as they pressed forwards and their second goal was more a case of when and not if.
We gave Defoe a run out for ten minutes, in place of Clarke (who’d run out of steam) and also Embo for Evans and Roberts for Dajaku, but we didn’t really create much and the game ran away from us, Had we pressed home our advantage when a goal to the good it’d have been a different story, but we didn’t, and it was a third defeat in as many games, all against sides 9no disrespect who are no great shakes. The added five minutes were of no use to us despite pushing forward, but in ineffective style. Hell’s teeth, Cheltenham hadn’t won in ages, and they didn’t even have to look that good to nick the three points off us. It’s fairly clear that the temporary managers/coaches aren’t up to the job no matter how much they love us and no matter how hard they try. Defoe must be wondering why he just didn’t hang up his boots rather than put himself through this embarrassment.
So it’s breakfast with Benno and Barnsey, and an agreement that Matete was Man of the Match, with an honourable mention for Hume. .. and farewell to the play-offs, at this rate.
