Ravens View of Sunderland

Last updated : 22 February 2005 By Mark R

The game started quite scrappily and Virgo earned himself a stupid yellow card giving Prima Donna Gallagher no choice!

I still cannot make up my mind about the second one. Virgo DID win the ball but DID catch the player. Was it dangerous play? I think not.

The card seemed to inspire us and soon Chippy drove a shot goalwards and the nice deflection took it past the Sunderland keeper.

The game was fairly scrappy with Gallagher doing everything to spoil an already untidy game on a very bobbly surface.

I was happy with 1-0 at half time and then Chippy floats in a corner and McCammon heads in a good header.

People say simple but I have seen many of these messed up. The Sunderland faithful gave every player in a red shirt abuse as they walked off.

Second half and I thought we contained them well with 10 men.

The left back was causing problems so McGhee switched Hart and Knight and stopped a danger area as Knight was our outlet from defence and tied up the number 3 with defensive duties, a great tactical move by Pints of Whiskey!

Arca finally walked the ball in for Sunderland, his long range shot going centimetres past the keepers fingers but just inside the post.

Immediately after that, Sunderland hit the post but I think it may have been offside anyway.

After that we defended superbly and fully deserved the 3 points!

Shaaban - 7 excellent block from Arca, looked confident

Reid - 8 back to his recent good form

Harding - 8 excellent return to left back, good solid defending

Butters - 9 my MOTM< won everything and marshalled the troops in style

Hinshelwood - 8 good partnership with Butters

Nicolas - 9 best game for us and pushed Butters for my MOTM. Involved in everything

Carpenter - 8 another great goal and his work rate matched Nicolas

Hart - 7 battled and put himself about to make his presence felt

McCammon - 8 another great goal, natural goal scorer?

Knight - 9 best game this season, worked as hard as anyone and made the Sunderland players stop and think time and time again

Virgo - 5 stupid yellow card, harsh red card

Hammond - 7 put himself about when he replaced McCammon with 5 minutes left.