THE CHELSEA POWER SHOW
Burstow ends his Black Cats blues
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MASON BURSTOW has vowed to prove that Chelsea strikers really can find the net on a regular basis. The Sunderland loanee (left) appeared to be suffering from the same problems which have afflicted so many forwards at Stamford Bridge when he failed to score in the first half of the season.
But having finally broken his duck on his recall to set up a much-needed win for under-fire Michael Beale, the 20-year-old senses a change in fortune.
“It’s a big weight off my shoulders,” said Burstow, who nodded home at close range to give Sunderland a 43rd-minute lead.
“Hopefully I can kick on now and that goal can be the first of many.”
The Black Cats had to wait until New Year’s Day for one of their strikers to score, with none of the four on their books presenting a strong case as the long-term solution.
Burstow had arrived on Wearside with high hopes but found himself in and out of the side as first Tony Mowbray and then Beale shuffled their options.
The youngster admits he has found the last few months tough, revealing that selfdoubt was beginning to creep in.
“Of course, my confidence has taken a bit of a hit,” he said. “I did not start the season the way I wanted. Obviously I wanted to score a lot earlier but I just kept my head down, worked hard and knew that eventually it would come, which it now has.”
Reliving the moment, he added: “I just looked up and saw everyone cheering me on. That’s what I have been waiting for.
“Now I’ll go into the next game believing I can score again.”
If Burstow badly needed to break his duck, Beale will have felt just as relieved with a victory which keeps the Black Cats’ play-off prospects alive.
The day could not have started in more depressing fashion when it emerged attacking midfielder Alex Pritchard had rejected a new contract and withdrawn his services in a bid to force through a move away.
Had Stoke taken one of several chances they created, the mood would have turned ugly.
But with Abdoullah Ba and Pierre Ekwah stretching the lead in the second half, there were no anti-beale chants on this occasion.
Stoke struggled to contain Jack Clarke throughout but manager Steven Schumacher’s ire was focused on their deficiencies in the final third – when they did score, it was through a Jenson Seelt own goal.
“Strikers and midfielders have got to expect they will get chances and we have to make them count,” said Schumacher.
“It’s just not good enough when we don’t hit the target.
“The only way to improve is by taking it seriously in training because if you don’t, then you’re not going to get it right in big stadiums when the pressure is on.”