Simply the Best- Sunderland FC

Club, Supporters, Management, Team Plan, Individual Performances all one notch or more up in the markings in favour of Sunderland as although we gave a good account of ourselves in the first half we were still, as I expected out classed overall and effectively killed off in the 5 minutes either side of half time.

Anyway it was only a Minor Cup so this is only a basic report-


Bonham- 7 Some good saves but does worry me the amount of saves he makes that effectively fall in front of him rather than turned aside as on the second goal.


James Clarke - 6 Beaten far too often and just doesn't give any attacking threat.


Lockyer - 7 Did Ok but for me lacks leadership qualities and is evident when it gets near half time and at other times. It was crucial to hold out to half time last night and as we have done on quite a few occasions this season we let a goal in right near half time . Should have done better himself on the goal and also should have buried the header in the second half or at the very least get it on target. Still overall a reasonable game.


Craig - 7 Same as Lockyer


Holmes-Dennis - 8 MOM  Showed lots of enthusiasm and probably the most skilful player out of our team. Kept going and although his winger did cause some problems,Holmes Dennis did also cause them lots of problems


O Clarke 7 Drove forward a lot in the first half and competed very well and put ina  couple of good crosses then faded in the second half until substituted again.


Sinclair 7,5 Covered lots of ground , hassled the opposition well and did not let us down on a rare appearance these days. Would have liked to have seen him a little bit further forward to harass the back players but the team was not set up to do that so it wasn't his fault. 


Upson 7.5 Always getting a foot in or a head in and chased around for 90 minutes and did well on quite a few occasions to turn and beat players and then pass the ball mainly to our players which was quite an achievement considering we have no real width and not very many players in front of him. He has the class and must look enviously at the choices and time that Sunderland had particularly second half.


Sercombe 5.5 Very disappointing game and lost the ball carelessly far too often and I believe he lost the ball on both goals but stand corrected.

Clarke-Harris 7  Held the ball up well and troubled the Sunderland defence but spent a lot of time out wide. 

Nicholls 6  Unlike Saturday he was overall pretty poor last night and was not helped by a ridiculous booking for a perfectly legitimate challenge.

Sunderland 9 They impressed me more last night than in the previous encounters and I will be very surprised if they don't go up automatically.

Subs

Jacubiak Another substitution that could have been made earlier.

Lines Should IMO have been brought on earlier as Sercombe was struggling to influence the game and Ollie Clarke, Upson and Sinclair are not exactly creative.

Kelly Only on a short time and did OK to allow Holmes-Dennis to push forward.

Referee 5 Inconsistent and gave us very little all night.
Crowd 6 It is disappointing that so many chose not to support a semi final.
GC Still not sure about him as Manager despite his reasonable start. he does not seem to have any Plan B and just continues playing the same way even if it isn't working. His real test or our real test will come in the possible winnable six pointers against Gillingham, Scunthorpe, Rochdale, Plymouth and Bradford.

So we move on to Scunthorpe Saturday needing three points at least out of the next two away games if we are not to go adrift in the relegation Zone. UTG