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. little tommy playin in back street, bloke pulls up n­ says....£10 n bag of sweets to get in my car! lad says ­ no way!! man says £50 n a bag of sweets.....little lad­ say....noooo....leave me alone!!! man says £100 n a bag­ of sweets!!!! lad replys....f ook off dad, i dinit­ wanna go to se newcastle play ok!!

    From wilkinson764, on Sat 9 May 5:34PM

  2. well done sunderland afc....puttin in a performance­ away from home,cud of won it...but a point takes us­ further to safety..sunderland fans fantastic, give­ there team full support..well done lads...lets get 3­ from portsmouth n then we r safe...

    From wilkinson764, on Sat 9 May 5:28PM

  3. 0-0. Good result, but made us sweat it out­ again.

    Sunderland will probably be safe as­ there are­ only 2 games left.

    Sunderland 36 points with­ a­ reasonable goal difference.

    Hull 34 points with­­ Bolton and Man United to play.
    Newcastle and­­ Middlesbrough with 31 points with 3 games left but one­­ team has to drop points.
    West Brom 31 points with 2­­ games left with Liverpool and Blackburn to play. They­­ have left it late to make a good run, but they have­­ done the impossible before!

    Hope Sunderland can take­­ something from Portsmouth to put safety in their own­­ hands rather than rely on the other teams to drop­­ points.

    From Steve G, on Sat 9 May 5:16PM

  4. So you're off to Oz tomorrow huh Jack?
    You take­ care, have a safe flight(s) and most of all . . . . . .­ . you enjoy yourself mate.
    Hopefully when you get­ back, the (TRUE) North East's 2 Premier League­ clubs will have survived (that other mob are from North­ Yorkshire - s(od) them!!!!).

    From cameron w, on Fri 8 May 10:32PM

  5. Bolton for me all the way jack; as Tony says, your lot­ ain't got the stomach for a fight and Bolton is the­ last place you lot wanna be going when you got no fight­ in you; and trust me, Megson will have them so hyped up­ to do his beloved NUFC a good turn.
    We may not have the­ skill, the craft or the nous here jack, but at least we­ seem to be showing some fight; and what's more . .­ . we are due a break - you really ought to be hoping­ Newcastle don't get 4 points from there 2 home­ games because like Tony, i can't see where your­ next point is coming from.
    I just hope we can both get­ out of the s(hite) and send hull and 'the boro'­ down - NUFC AND safc should be in the Premier League ­ (if only for the sake of their fans).

    From cameron w, on Fri 8 May 10:23PM

  6. Tony the Turd- bit paranoid their Tony arn't you,­ this is aimed at Tony TT surely. not that i'm­ trying to race rings around you or nowt like that.
    But­ if your saying that we are one of the worst teams to­ ever "Discrace the premier league" and you­ are below us and pissing in the wind, then erh!

    yeah­ right!

    I'm embarrased for your parents, your­ friend, your seat of learning and that old girl next­ door who used to give you your ball back, when you­ often skyied it over the fence. -In fact anybody who­ knows you

    From PWilson, on Fri 8 May 7:15PM

  7. Tony the Turd! Who's team will very shortly be in­ the third.

    Didn't you read post 3, you must have­ skin like the arse end of a Hippo or should that be­ THICKO.

    FTM

    Mags will definately be relegated FACT!

    From Paul N, on Fri 8 May 5:07PM

  8. Was reading an article in the Newcastle Gazette last­ week in which the reporter had asked the groundsman at­ St Jame's Park how he kept the pitch in such good­ condition "oh that's easy" he said­ "We put £70 million worth of s&!t on it every­ two weeks"

    From jack torrance, on Fri 8 May 2:29PM

  9. I can see it now, cautious approach yet again (as most­ of season) and no result, with NUFC winning against­ Smogland and starting to pick up points.
    RS better go­ down fighting with a 3 man defence and all out­ attacking play or he's going to show he's just­ a one trick pony.
    Personally, I'll put a tenner on­ Bolton and be tempted to head to a match where the­ players are going to put some effort in....Think Elgin­ (bottom Scottish div 3) v Berwick (second bottom­ Scottish div 3) with nowt for either team to play for,­ would have players more committed than SAFC's this­ weekend...

    From Disgusted, on Fri 8 May 1:58PM

  10. Too big a game which will lead to a lot of caution,will­ be a 0-0 or 1-1 draw I'm afraid,but this and­ another draw will be enough.

    From jack torrance, on Fri 8 May 8:06AM

  11. NO lone Strikers Ricky Go all out for attack, and that­ way we might get a result. get the defence sorted , ­ stop @#$% footing a round with them call a spade a­ spade and tell them they have been rubbish and not­ worth their wages., Get out the archive footage of­ Jimmy adamsons days and you will see the very similar­ style of play and players RUBBISH was what they were­ and Rubbish we are or have been for the last two­ months.

    From MALCOLM D, on Thu 7 May 9:56PM

  12. We need 3 points before Hiddinks final swan-song, where­ they will probably whack us for 4 or 5.

    PS; before the­ sad Mag Tony K gets his proverbial Doon here!
    prior to­ his teams epic 1-1 wonder result against the Smogs,­ "Eat @#$% and good night"

    "Ya's can­ arl garn feck yesells"

    From PWilson, on Thu 7 May 8:21PM

  13. For fax sake, give us a bluddy win Ricky

    From PATRICK, on Thu 7 May 5:47PM
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