Sunderland 0 - 1 Newcastle United - Taylor Made Derby Win For The Geordies!
Keeping up their dominance in the Tyne-Wear derby that now stretches to having only lost 1 in their last 13 meetings and winning the majority of the encounters.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce called it the '90 minute panic attack' and few supporters of either Tyne/Wear clubs would disagree with him as the fierce North East rivals played out an incredibly tense affair at the Stadium of the Light earlier this afternoon. In the end, it was the visitors Newcastle United that once again shaded one of football's biggest derbies (despite the decision to once again not screen it live on television) in a close affair that the losing team, if they had showed more composure with their threatening possession & chances, perhaps should have got all three points. The eventual breakthrough that proved to be the single deciding goal came two minutes after the hour mark when make-do Newcastle left back Ryan Taylor reminded his club how useful he can be with set pieces, swooping in a deadly free kick from the corner of the 18 year box that Sunderland 'keeper Simon Mignolet failed to reach and his Geordie namesake Steven Taylor put the final touch on before it hit the back of the net. Television replays would show that the ball was probably over the line before S Taylor's touch but neither player seemed to care in the moment, both cheering side by side in front of the loud Toon contingent as they etched themselves into Geordie folklore. With half an hour left on the clock, Newcastle packed the defence, towards the end having three centre backs, two full backs and no strikers on the field as they almost invited Sunderland to go on the all out attack. Newcastle must have had bad memories of Asamoah Gyan's late equalizer in the fixture last time round but despite at times things getting shaky... they managed to make it over the finishing line with all three points and the all important bragging rights over their neighbours. 1-0 to Newcastle, keeping up their dominance in the Tyne-Wear derby that now stretches to having only lost 1 in their last 13 meetings and winning the majority of the encounters. Having suffered on the wrong end of an absolute 5-1 mauling at St. James' Park last season and not at all expressing themselves in the follow-up home fixture, the Black Cats started much the better side in the sunny mid-day kick off. Pacey, attack minded, open & adventurous, this was a much changed side since last season and one that clearly felt like they had something to prove. The opening twenty minutes were all red and white and it would be the skill, speed & endeavor of Stephane Sessegnon down Sunderland's left hand side, alongside the work-rate of young Jack Colback that caused Newcastle the most problems - which carried on throughout the mach. The Black & Whites started slowly and nervously. Alan Pardew had made only one change from the hard working 0-0 draw against Arsenal seven days ago - winger Gabriel Obertan starting ahead of Demba Ba after his impressive cameo last week, but with the change meant Newcastle were effectively playing one striker in target man Shola Ameobi and they struggled to get use to the new system and get the ball in the attacking areas. New signing Yohan Cabaye effectively played the old Kevin Nolan role supporting the attack and midfield but he spent most of the match chasing the ball from the opposition. Newcastle really failed to cross the half way mark for much of the first half. Jonas Guttierez was quiet and found it tough being restricted of room. Central midfield general Chieck Tiote, on the backs of his worst performance in a Newcastle shirt last week, again looked to be suffering from a lack of fitness at times and lacked his usual composure. Joey Barton was Joey Barton. But with midfield terrier Lee Cattermole full of energy and pace and importantly timing his full thrusted tackles to perfection, Mackem goalkeeper Mignolet must have thought he was in for a quiet afternoon. The first time either keepers were threatened were from eerily similar swerving shots from around 22 yards from Sessegnon and Cabaye respectively that both yielded nervous one hand saves, but the big big talking point of the first half was to occur on the quarter of an half mark. Yohan Cabaye's corner (all of which were high hanging for Ameobi and frightened the life out of the Sunderland defence) enticed a slow to react Mignolet off his line, losing the aerial battle with Ameobi whose forceful header was flicked on by Joey Barton and looked certain to be a goal before Sebastian Larsson's reflex reaction to knock it away off the line with his hand saved their blushes. Newcastle were adamant of the use of a hand, whether intentional or not, Barton in particular doing his usual screaming routine, but after a few seconds thinking about it referee Howard Webb pointed to the corner flag. But even after the decision, Newcastle players were protesting so much, Webb went off to just double check he made the right decision with his linesman, who also concurred that the home team were allowed to play 'rush in goalies'. Sunderland had got lucky. Larsson would have surely walked for his indiscretion, and Shola Ameobi, who has never missed a penalty and who you don't need to remind Sunderland is a perennial thorn in their side, would have had the golden opportunity to put the home side ahead. The rest of the first half would go by without much controversy as thankfully it failed to boil over, except for the odd strong tackles that Webb stayed on top of by dishing out the yellow cards. Though seconds before the end of half time an Asomah Gyan turn and powerful curling shot, which had Tim Krul well, well beaten... just clipped the top of the bar and harmlessly over. Newcastle were to fare much better in the second half, the Sunderland midfield slightly tiring and losing their concentration to not allow the Toon players space. Jonas Guttierez now had space to run into and the confidence to beat players, Cattermole's well timed tackles were becoming mis-timed fouls, including the moment he brought down Jonas for the crucial free kick. The goal sent Newcastle into rapturous delight but left the home team ruing their lack of composure for all their good play. Cattermole particularly showed his frustration by kicking out on a player to deliver himself a yellow card and everyone expected he would then go to get himself sent off. But two minutes before the end Phil Bardsley was the one to walk, rightly sent off for a hard tackle on Coloccini, the victim of two bookable defenses and Newcastle midfielder Dan Gosling, ironically making only his second appearance after his debut in the derby last January, was avoided the embarrassment of missing an absolute guilt edged chance at the death that would have secured victory for his team. In the end it wasn't needed. Newcastle once again the superior team in the North East, but both teams look like they could do with some added fire power up front. Newcastle in particular who never really looked like scoring in open play... and indeed their only answer so far to Andy Carroll's £35 million departure is free signing Demba Ba, whose uninterested display last week meant he only managed the bench in his second game for the club.