Premier League - Sunderland secure vital point

Eurosport - Sat, 09 May 19:30:00 2009

Sunderland inched closer to Premier League safety after holding Bolton Wanderers to a goalless draw at the Reebok Stadium.

2008-2009 Bolton-Sunderland Kieran Richardson shoots over - 0

The point moves Ricky Sbragia's side to 36 which, given the consistently poor form of the sides below them - Hull City, Newcastle and Middlesbrough - may well be enough to keep them up.

Only a sequence of freak results can threaten Bolton's top-flight status but Gary Megson will make a forward with more cutting edge than Johan Elmander his top priority after failing to put away visitors who grew increasingly nervous.

Gary Cahill might have won it with a stoppage-time header but Marton Fulop produced a superb diving save to guarantee Sunderland took something home with them.

Last Sunday's 2-0 defeat at home to Everton proved a low ebb for Sunderland, whose manager Sbragia sided with the fans at the Stadium of Light who booed them off.

At that stage another point looked like it would be beyond them, given their gutless performance. Striker Djibril Cisse was particularly bad, and found himself relegated to the bench as Sbragia switched to a 4-5-1 formation with Kenwyne Jones as a lone forward.

The introduction of an extra midfielder helped the visitors control the game, and compete with a typically muscular Bolton side.

Grant Leadbitter and Dean Whitehead proved particularly industrious, while Phil Bardsley romped down the right flank and might have had a penalty when tackled by Jlloyd Samuel just inside the Bolton box.

Kieran Richardson looked the likeliest scorer and twice went close with long shots before Jones presented him with an easy chance, laying the ball off 10 yards out but Richardson got underneath the shot and lifted it high over the bar.

The midfielder looked set to give Sunderland the lead just before half-time, only for Gavin McCann to deny him with an inch-perfect tackle as he prepared to pull the trigger.

Leadbitter went close when he cut in from the left and fired into the side netting, while at the other end Johan Elmander had Bolton's best first-half opportunity when a long ball fell to his fee but the Swede miscontrolled.

Otherwise, Bolton played like a side who knew their top-flight status was all but guaranteed and offered little to please their fans, many of whom turned up in fancy dress.

Megson's side grew more dominant after the break as the visitors tightened up. However, they were unable to convert a sequence of corners into anything concrete and - Cahill's late header aside - rarely threatened Fulop.

The second half was marred by an ugly tackle by substitute Mark Davies on Teemu Tainio that could easily have resulted in a broken leg.

The Finn was lucky to limp off by his own speed and Davies was equally so to see only a yellow card. Sunderland also have an injury worry over Jones, who went off late on to be replaced by Cisse.

Sbragia will be happy to have edged away from danger and will take particular satisfaction in his players' improved effort.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

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  1. PWilson
    You have my total respect - i agree, the North­ East derby is NUFC and safc!
    I myself, altho slagging­ safc all season, have always maintained that i wanted­ BOTH clubs to survive!
    I cannot for the life of me­ understand why some safc people are actually praying­ that NUFC goes into administration, and even out of­ business!!! Tell me, is that what being a football­ supporter is all about - of course it is not . . . . .­
    otherwise, i would be outta here!!!
    Our job, like­ safc's, is not yet done - so here's­ hoping!
    ps
    if you noticed, my post (35) was not aimed­ at all safc people, just the nasty ones!

    From cameron w, on Tue 12 May 4:28PM

  2. Cameron

    I Think you will find that I have never posted­ on NUFC, MFC or any other teams pages, even when­ we've turned them over in the derby.

    I'm a­ pure Sunderland fan, not a Football fan.

    P.S i was­ working with a Geordie last night in Poole with my SAFC­ coat on, you should have seen is face when he CLOCKED­ THE BADGE! he shortly got over it though! when I told­ him i wanted the geordies to win and continue with the­ REAL derby.I also told him that nobody other than a Mag­ is worthy of my hatred, he rightly was taken aback with­ my sincerity and compliment-incidentally which he­ gracefully returned.

    Sorted!

    From PWilson, on Tue 12 May 2:28PM

  3. I notice not a single one of you had the b(alls) to­ front up on the NUFC pages and comment on Newcastle­ United's VICTORY last night. That's the­ difference; i ALWAYS come on win, lose or draw and­ explain my case. To come on and just spout unreasonable­ bile all the time and hide when you are made to look­ foolish is really quite cowardly, wouldn't you all­ agree. When NUFC got beat off Bolton the NUFC pages­ were full of mackems and some real vicious posts - i am­ not here to gloat, merely to point out your­ shortcomings! And i repeat, not all the posters on here­ are a(rseholes), there are some decent ones like jack­ and patrick.
    32.heslop448
    It's okay mate, you can­ breath now!
    Unlike many safc 'fans' we still­ know there is a job to be done; if we carry the same­ work ethos into Saturday's game, then we will be­ okay.

    From cameron w, on Tue 12 May 10:01AM

  4. Cameron,

    Your defining day of judgement is upon you.­ Nothing but a win for our bar code couzins up the road­ will be suffice.If you win-then like I said some weeks­ ago you will scrape through just above Hull, if you­ lose then unfortunatley you will be down with the­ Smogs. Even if the Smogs manage to beat you, I still­ dont think they will survive.

    ps, I'm glad were­ not Siamese twins sharing the same stomach, bet­ it's turmoil in there today.

    From PWilson, on Mon 11 May 11:52AM

  5. well at least there will be some silverware at st james­ tomorrow as the bay are parading their trophy at the­ ground before the match.well done whitley bay at least­ u done the north east proud unlike all our so called­ top teams

    From heslop448, on Sun 10 May 7:05PM

  6. heslop448
    to be honest, i know exactly where you are­ coming form - 2 wins, especially when as you correctly­ said, we only won 6 all season is a massive ask - but­ hey, we gotta remain positive.
    If we lose i shall­ concede defeat and hold my hands up and take it on the­ chin . . . got no choice really.
    It's been a­ terrible season!!!!

    From cameron w, on Sun 10 May 6:56PM

  7. cameron i'll not hold my breath u only won 6 all­ season which is the least in the premiership so what­ makes u think u'll win ur next two,life at the­ bottom is tough we should know we been there enough,­ its not just a matter of turning it on for the last two­ matches when its going wrong it tough to get one win­ let alone two ur midfield is to slow which is ur main­ problem u may get something against boro but fulham are­ no mugs and points against u will get them european­ football so u will go to villa last match needing to­ get something which will be even more pressure on ur­ team of underachievers i hope u don't go down just­ for the sake of ur fans but maybe the man at the top­ needs the financial loss of relegation to realise that­ he sould get rid of the club at any cost and let­ someone with the fans intrests at heart take over

    From heslop448, on Sun 10 May 6:33PM

  8. TUSKA 08 FTM
    First of all you cretin: how do you know­ if i am here everyday or not?
    Ah yes that's right .­ . .because YOU are here everyday checking to see if­ anyone has bitten on your puerile posts - what's­ the matter, DO YOU NOT HAVE A WOMAN OR A JOB TO KEEP U­ BUSY­ EVERY DAY U ARE HERE SAD LIFE BONNY LAD.
    Well­ make the most of this you sad lonely specimen, because­ i will not be biting anymore. In fact after this post,­ i will refuse to acknowledge your pathetic little­ excuse of an existence - you merely waste my time; you­ were amusing at first, but now i find you very boring,­ very repetitive and highly irritating.
    And what's­ more - you my scum friend, are a liar!
    There are many­ safc fans who will come on here and vouch for me; i­ engage in friendly banter and have stated all season­ that i WANT safc to STAY in the Premier League along­ with my team.
    Do you know the meaning of banter you­ idiot; of course i am gonna slag off safc, but it­ doesn't mean i wish the club or its­ 'proper' fans like Jack and Patrick and even­ heslop448 any real harm, they are mature enough to­ understand that - that's what banter is all about­ you ignoramus.
    As for you heslop448: yes i did expect­ to be above safc after the boro game, but hey it will­ be after the Fulham game - i was only 7 days out!!!­ I'll give you another prediction too, safc will get­ no more points this season and will finish BELOW NUFC.

    From cameron w, on Sun 10 May 12:09PM

  9. Cameron do you own Yahoo . you seem to be on EVERY­ teams page spouting your Knowledge of football .­ friendly banter my arse you have slagged SAFC for­ months . No I wasnt at the Bolton game I work for BT in­ the "SCUM" area and we have to be on standby­ cos you muppets smash phone boxes up . WHY ARE U ALWAYS­ ON HERE DO YOU NOT HAVE A WOMAN OR A JOB TO KEEP U BUSY­ EVERY DAY U ARE HERE SAD LIFE BONNY LAD

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Sun 10 May 7:19AM

  10. now let me remember what u said cameron,oh yes that­ after the boro game u would be above sunderland well u­ got that badly wrong didn't u and other than the­ point u might get of boro i can't see u getting­ anymore so that gives u 32 and i think west brom will­ pick up 3 at blackburn so thats u bottom then

    From heslop448, on Sun 10 May 12:32AM

  11. By the way - a message to you 2 Chuckle­ Brothers;
    'Can you see safc gettingg another point­ this season because i can't!!!'
    Heck i'll­ even put a 50 on it!!!!
    Toon to win their 2 home games­ and finish above your sorry a(rses) and shut you up for­ the summer.
    Pompey away - LOSE
    Chelsea home -­ annihilated.
    Hey you might well get relegated if hull­ pick up a win.

    From cameron w, on Sat 9 May 9:45PM

  12. PHIL
    how old are you?

    From cameron w, on Sat 9 May 9:38PM

  13. wot plan camron lol

    From PHIL, on Sat 9 May 8:36PM

  14. boro to stay up the mags and king alan to go down then­ all here fans will smash up the toon, then its all down­ the pan just like leeds, WELL DONE MIKE & ALAN your­ great.........

    gateshead are tynesides no1 football­ team.

    From PHIL, on Sat 9 May 8:35PM

  15. TUSKA 08 FTM
    No, no, no, pal - it is YOU who is the­ scum.
    We come on here for the banter; all good natured­ and light-hearted - but you ain't got the intellect­ to even understand that have you?
    Why weren't you­ at Bolton today by the way, in your club's hour of­ need - do you even go to games full stop . . . .­ .thought not!
    You are a pillock boy!!
    sunderland AND­ NUFC to stay up and resume rivallry next season - west­ brom, hull and 'the boro' to drop (if all goes­ to plan that is!!!!)

    From cameron w, on Sat 9 May 7:47PM

  16. Mike Ashley is a MAKEM he wears a MAKEM hat he sell­ dodgey trainers and is a fat @#$% . he bort newcastle­ utd and screwed the left and right and now there going­ down cos they are f*%Łking @#$%

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Sat 9 May 6:52PM

  17. Mike Ashley is a MAKEM he wears a MAKEM hat he sell­ dodgey trainers and is a fat @#$% . he bort newcastle­ utd and screwed the left and right and now there going­ down cos they are f*%Łking @#$%

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Sat 9 May 6:51PM

  18. Mike Ashley is a MAKEM he wears a MAKEM hat he sell­ dodgey trainers and is a fat @#$% . he bort newcastle­ utd and screwed the left and right and now there going­ down cos they are f*%Łking @#$%

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Sat 9 May 6:51PM

  19. bora go to sjp park the bus and send the scum down tony­ k lives in washigton and has NEVER been to sjp.

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Sat 9 May 6:38PM

  20. good show lads after the last two weeks had kieran had­ his shooting boots on could have been better. smoggies­ to get draw at @#$% james park condenm the two of them­ then its between hull and wba for the other place down

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Sat 9 May 6:31PM
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