Premier League - Sunderland see off Rovers

Eurosport - Sat, 22 Aug 17:57:00 2009

Sunderland secured an unlikely 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light over Blackburn, as Kenwyne Jones's brace denied Rovers at least the point they deserved in their Premier League encounter.

2009-2010 Sunderland Kenwyne Jones - 0

Gael Givet gave Rovers the lead after 20 minutes when Sunderland failed to clear a corner properly, but an inspired goal from Jones levelled matters despite the away side's dominance.

The towering striker then headed the Black Cats into the lead 10 minutes into the second half as they gained the upper hand, before Steven N'Zonzi had a goal disallowed, sending Rovers manager Sam Allardyce into touchline hysterics.

The deluge from Rovers continued but Sunderland held out for all three points, bringing to an end a three-game home losing streak in the league.

Much mirth was caused towards the end of last season when Allardyce deployed Christopher Samba as a striker amid an injury crisis at Ewood Park, but the defender displayed his predatory instincts just after three minutes into the game as Rovers flew out of the blocks. A free header at a corner flew towards goal, but Lee Cattermole managed to react and block it on the line.

And so the first 30 minutes continued, with the Black Cats slow, laboured and generally uninspired.

Marton Fulop has been in good form for the club but he almost gifted the energetic Franco Di Santo - in for Benni McCarthy up front - a goal when mis-controlling a pass back, and shortly after the young Argentine on loan at Rovers from Chelsea was replaced by Nicola Kalinic, having injured himself in the challenge on the Sunderland keeper.

Sunderland's first real attack flowed through Kieran Richardson and then Cattermole, but Steed Malbranque's final ball to Darren Bent - firmly in Samba's back pocket at this stage - was symptomatic of the malaise that had appeared to affect the home side.

Fulop was forced to make a strong one-handed save to deny El-Hadji Diouf, but it was only a momentary reprieve as the visitors' pressure paid off from the resulting corner. Morten Gamst Pedersen's delivery was cleared off the line by Cattermole, but only as far as Givet, who drilled a low shot through a forest of bodies from the edge of the area to give Rovers the lead.

Sunderland were not shocked into action however as shortly after Jason Roberts turned and shot inside their area, but what did seem to waken Steve Bruce's side was their goal, which came from nowhere.

Belying his earlier inaccuracy with the ball, Malbranque played a masterful pass off the outside of his right foot to take the lunging Samba out of the frame, allowing Jones to bear down on Paul Robinson. The striker lifted the ball magnificently over the advancing keeper with great calm, before slotting into an unguarded net for an equaliser against the run of play.

That energised the home side, and the action did not abate as the second half got underway. Immediately Rovers spurned a chance to take the lead as Kalinic failed to profit from Fulop's spill of Diouf's deep cross from the right.

How Rovers rued that missed chance, as Sunderland took the lead in the 54th minute.

Cattermole raced clear down the left and placed a perfect cross onto the free head of the onrushing Jones, as Robinson could only get a despairing right hand on his powerful finish which flew in.

Almost immediately Allardyce and his players were left fuming when N'Zonzi's headed goal was disallowed. Pedersen's floated free-kick was cleared as far as the midfielder who looped in his finish, but Samba's offside position and close proximity to Fulop meant Wiley's assistant flagged the defender.

There then followed a Rovers onslaught, and second-half substitute McCarthy struck the crossbar with a header from a free-kick as the away side continued to pound on the door but failed to make the breakthrough, thus continuing their points-free start to the campaign.

Joseph Caron Dawe / Eurosport

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  1. An ugly win but a win all the same. With the next few­ fixtures hopefully we can get a good amount of points­ on the table. The defence needs sorting and I imagine­ Collins slipping in at left back with Da Silva/Mensah­ coming in alongside Rio sorry Anton Ferdinand!! Fulop­ was also a little unsettling at the back!! We need a­ little more creativity in midfield (like Malbranque) as­ when we played it on the deck to feet (instead of­ hoofing long balls to Jones) we caused them problems. ­ I'm sure Bruce we sort the defence out in the­ coming weeks. SAFC

    From mackemmover, on Sun 23 Aug 3:07PM

  2. sid lexic?? is that some kind of action figure?

    From Sean A, on Sun 23 Aug 1:05PM

  3. downy100(brain cells)

    FACT - you are trying to stir up­ Sean A sorry - Sid Lexic - to fight your battles for­ you coz his craic is in fact better than yours

    FACT -­ Reading between the lines it seems you have finally­ accepted NUFC are a bigger club than SAFC

    FACT - Sid­ lexic doesnt have any craic....just nasty vindictive­ bile

    FACT - I think you are starting to like me

    FACT­ - Stating you were lucky yesterday is a massive­ understatement

    From Tony K, on Sun 23 Aug 12:55PM

  4. Gentlemen Gentlemen please I'VE never said that we­ are bigger than you and all that gobshite craic you­ Scumbags come out with, yes you have bigger crowds­ & yes you have a bigger ground & yes you have a­ better shopping centre & believe me yes its a­ better night out in your city than Sunderland, NOW IS­ THAT IT?
    FACT: We won (lucky or not) in the PREMIER­ LEAGUE yesterday.
    FACT: You lot won in the CHAMPIONSHIP­ yesterday.
    FACT: Sean A has better craic than Tony­ K(nobhead)
    Different leagues, bigger crowds so what,­ where would you rather be ladies!?
    FTM

    From downy100, on Sun 23 Aug 11:06AM

  5. Just read the match cast; by all accounts safc got away­ with murder - played off the park!
    Still, i'm­ pleased it managed to put a smile on little Seany's­ face!
    By the way, pathetic turn out AGAIN!
    Do NOT fool­ yourself that just because you are in a 'bigger­ league' you are a bigger club than NUFC - you are­ NOT and as Tony would say, that is a FACT!

    From cameron w, on Sun 23 Aug 10:32AM

  6. yes downy you keep banging on about your great signings­ blah blah blah
    yet where are the great unwashed when­ you need them?

    From newcastleian1, on Sun 23 Aug 10:23AM

  7. DOWNY100..nice to see you biting about you being in a­ league above newcastle,but that should involve you­ getting bigger crowds cos your playing better­ teams,should'nt it?

    From leetwangers, on Sun 23 Aug 10:19AM

  8. downy100,,i wish i was that young fella!!!

    From newcastleian1, on Sun 23 Aug 10:18AM

  9. You just finished your paper round newcastleian1!?
    FTM

    From downy100, on Sun 23 Aug 9:15AM

  10. dont knock seany baby, he is the most intelligent­ mackem on these sites!
    the others just talk utter­ shyte.

    From newcastleian1, on Sun 23 Aug 9:10AM

  11. Let the FA make it 3 points for a bigger attendance­ then 'eh, you still woudn't win anything would­ you you goons, oh aye you'd be above us but then­ wouldn't you have to be in the same league!?
    Hes­ calling you again Seany, go on boy give him some­ back!!!
    FTM

    From downy100, on Sun 23 Aug 9:02AM

  12. Sean A.............from now on to be known as SID LEXIC

    From Tony K, on Sun 23 Aug 8:28AM

  13. downy100(brain cells)

    Correct - I got my FACTS from­ MOTD. Even without me making regular trips to SJP our­ attendance at home so far this season has been better­ than yours - FACT. NUFC are STILL the biggest club in­ the North East and you dont have to be "Death as a­ door nail" or "Smaked up on cokane" to­ realise this.

    From Tony K, on Sun 23 Aug 8:22AM

  14. You at our game like Tony K(nobhead), thought not, you­ at your game against Palace fat lad, thought not, where­ do you get your evidence from, 10mins of MotD & i­ guess your Mammy let you stay up to watch that late­ night fizzy football thingy, bet you didn't half­ raid the fridge when she went to bed 'eh fat­ lad!?
    Go on Sean A tell him hes as 'death as a­ doornail'
    FTM

    From downy100, on Sun 23 Aug 8:14AM

  15. Downy100(brain cells)

    I agree cana and cattermole were­ rocks - completely static and devoid of life. to be­ fair tho a wins a win and jones is well on his way to­ reaching his target of 5 goals for the­ season.
    SMB

    "The japs eye of County Durham"­ since 1879

    From Tony K, on Sun 23 Aug 8:03AM

  16. Tony K(nobhead) what you on about 'on this­ evidence??' 'erm on this evidence we won the­ game & got 3 Prem League points, you are truly a­ K(nobhead)
    FTM

    From downy100, on Sun 23 Aug 7:55AM

  17. Tony K(nobhead) stop biting fat lad!
    37k what a­ pathetic attendance, our city is bigger than yours blah­ blah blah always the same, thats all you sad Geordie­ skunks got to go on when we've won, who cares­ ladies!?
    Another win in the Premier League.
    We­ struggled at times to cope with the size & strength­ of Blackburn (by the way what a rubbish away­ following!) they are very well versed at corners,­ freekicks etc, looked like they'd score from­ everyone of 'em! Fulop had a bit of an off day,­ flapping like Mike Ashley at times! Special mention for­ Cana & Cattermole absolute rocks in midfield­ excellent buys by The Fat Geordie B*****d!!
    Looks like­ the Scum, Boro & the Baggies will be fighting for­ promotion come the end of the season, maybe we will see­ you Geordie mugs next season afterall!?
    FTM

    From downy100, on Sun 23 Aug 7:47AM

  18. Another lucky result for the mackems......very lucky­ indeed. Blacburn played you off the park SMBs. On this­ evidence SAFC are in for a long hard season......Brucie­ will be gone by January

    From Tony K, on Sun 23 Aug 7:45AM

  19. EMM, WHO CARES?

    From JACK, on Sun 23 Aug 12:51AM

  20. hey niall quinn where are the famous red and white­ army..lots and lots and lots and lots of empty­ seats.niall get yourself to greggs and hand out free­ tickets or us geordies will hammer you with our­ support..37 106 ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

    From leetwangers, on Sun 23 Aug 12:07AM
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