Shrewsbury came to Wearside, Flanagan and all, and we eventually tamed the Shrews after racing into a two goal lead but letting the opposition back into it. Yet another late one won it after we'd turned to jelly in the middle 30 minutes of the game. I'm all for drama, but this is getting ridiculous. 3-2, away we go.
As it’s been another quiet news week by our standards, the media have been reduced to stuff about Stewart being Rangers-bound despite interest from other clubs in his homeland and south of the border. Of course, this has brought out the keyboard warriors who click this sort of bait and scream “If he doesn’t want to play for us, sell him” even though the player’s said precisely nowt on the subject. Also, according to the media, Speakman would be an embarrassment to the club if we don’t sign Patrick Roberts permanently, and it’s a major revelation that Dajaku has gone home to Germany because he’s ill. It’s a good job none of the players were spotted holding their dog lead with their left hand when they’re right-footed.
Back in the real world, Rotherham appear to be trying their best to out-Sunderland Sunderland with their recent form being relegation rather than promotion, and this has caused cleverer folks than me to faff about with spreadsheets and come up with a scenario that sees us promoted automatically – I think. I love a spreadsheet, but even I can’t get us promoted by hitting the three magic keys. Basically, keep on winning and there’ll be at least two extra games. I know that I've been through more than enough seasons for our current situation to be one I should be used to, but there was a nervous tension about me this morning, and it wasn't anything to do with the state of my leeks. it was a nervous tension you could just about smell amongst the gathering Red & Whites in the Green Tree. It's Easter, traditionally the weekend when things get sorted, due to there being two games in four days - used to be three, and that really sorted league tables out.
That nervous tension could easily be settled - I fully appreciate that last- minute wins are good for the soul, but being a couple ahead by halftime would be really comforting. It was partially dispelled by the antics of my usual bus seat - that reclines whether you want it to or not. They tried the easyJet tactic of claiming it was an extra £5, but I was having none of that.
After a nice Blue Bells Bittermen reunion with Stu, Stubber, and Will in the Isis, the teams were announced.
Patterson
Winchester Wright Cirkin
Gooch Matete O'Nien Clarke
Embleton
Stewart Broadhead
...and a bench of Roberts, Evans, Neil, Batth, Xhemajli, Hume, and Burge
We kicked off south and O9 immediately went on the right wing with Embo sitting deeper alongside Matete.
A foul on the LND just outside their box, gave us a chance after three minutes, and when the free was blocked, Embo smashed it, left-footed, past the keeper from the edge of the box.
The visitors were pushing two up on Winch to get some long throws, as they set up in a much more open style than most opponents... perhaps because they had nowt to play for but mid-table obscurity.
Another shot from the edge was saved by their keeper down to his right, but Broadhead was on hand to smack it home on 12. That's what we want. Nervous anticipation partially subdued.
We produced a great spell of passing around 18-19 minutes, but Shrewsbury held firm and the killer third just wouldn't come.
There was an unfortunate yellow for Clarke on 21 after good work by Cirkin, who was basically playing a Mickey Gray game and adding his presence to the attack, broke down and left our man exposed. A Shrews left wing corner was wasted as it went out at far side, and we broke down the right from Patto's goal kick, but again couldn't fashion a real chance.
A naughty one on Broadhead was overlooked in favour of playing on, and Gooch's left-footer wasn't far wide. A retrospective yellow followed - well done ref- then there was a tea break as Wright had some cosmetic work done on 29 and changed into number 24 with a new shirt.
Their Bennett was subbed on 36, probably as a result of knacking himself when fouling Broadhead a few minutes previously. A crazy crossfield ball by Gooch left Cirkin for dead, but we cleared the throw on our left. Shrews had it in the net on 43, but they were well offside, thankfully, then again came down our right and fired across Patto and wide as four added minutes were announced. In the last of those, Stewart and an opponent cracked shins, but thankfully there was no serious damage done.
A nice little period of passing ended the half and we trotted off well worth our lead, but in reality we sat back a tad too much in the final ten or so.. but if you're two up, perhaps you're entitled to. I'd have preferred a third, but mebbe I'm being a tad too greedy. As it turned out, no I wasn't.
Would it be worth making any changes for the second half? Not really, as everyone in a Sunderland shirt was doing their job quite well. Having said that, the option of Roberts and Neil as positive exchanges was reassuring, and Batth if we kept conceding chances as we had the the last few minutes of the half....or Evans to calm things down. As it was, no changes for the second half.
Winchester gave it away and tried to claim it was because a Shrew was down feigning injury, but thankfully they blasted the shot way off target. Unfortunately, and we could see it coming, they passed their way through us to plant it beyond Patto four minutes into the half. Central midfield had been taken over by the visitors. Embo was dropping into central defence - but that was a chicken and egg situation. Should he have stayed in midfield and prevented the ball getting at our defence in the first place? Duly, we gave away a corner on our left, Patto made a great save, and Flan was on hand to smash in the equaliser in typical former player fashion. 2-2 on 57 after being so comfortable at 2-0 early on. How very Sunderland.
On the hour, after a spell of loose play, Embo was replaced by Evans - leaving us with nobody who could pass the ball forwards. On 64 a couple of blocked shots gave us a corner on the right, but when it fell to Gooch he clipped this shot well over.
With Evans more or less playing centre half, we kept playing ourselves into trouble, but won a corner on our left and applied a bit of pressure on 69.
A foul on Winch didn't bring a deserved second yellow for their man, and Clarke's ball in was easily dealt with. A second free caused chaos, with Stewart's effort hitting the bar and the follow-up shot being deflected over for a corner on 72.
After a decent cross from Clarke found both Stewart and Broadhead nowhere near where at least bone of then should have been, Gooch was swapped for Roberts with about 13 to go. A decent shot from Cirkin after Clarke laid it back was saved high up. Roberts managed to hit a shot unbelievably high after being played in on the right when we all assumed there must have been a deflection. On 84 Luke's low cross from the right found Stewart, but the shot was blocked when a goal looked certain, then Matete made way for Dan Neil.
O9 turned outside instead of inside in the box and was booked for a dive, which I didn't see. It looked like a corner or goal kick to me, but I'm biased. Very biased.
Five added minutes were announced as Stewart was dispossessed on the edge of the box, a Shrew was booked in front of the bench, and when we got the free forward, Broadhead was on hand a few yards out to pop it home. Bloody hell man, give over with this last minute stuff!
..and, with a few more chances that make it safe, we cemented our place as the last- minute kings. Never mind Keano's late stuff, Alex Neil's taking it to the next level.
Man of the Match? It has to be Broadhead for being in the right place at the right time twice. Somehow we'd managed to fulfil the wishes of the fans by getting two early goals, but still stuck to our recent form by needing a late, late winner. Good for the soul? I'll tell you in June.
