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BA BLAST HELPS EASE PRESSURE ON BATTLING BEALE
MATCH STATS Sunderland Shots on target Shots off target Blocked shots Corners Fouls Offsides Yellow cards Red cards Passing success % Tackles Tackles won % Possession %
MACKEMS might just start warming to Michael Beale if the under-fire Sunderland boss has a few more days like this.
Beale handed recalls to Chelsea loanee Mason Burstow and Abdoullah Ba and the pair repaid his faith with the opening two goals.
The signs had looked ominous before kick-off when it emerged Alex Pritchard had made himself unavailable in a bid to force through a move to Birmingham this month.
But with Stoke wasteful in front of goal and the Black Cats baring their teeth, the crowd laid off Beale and celebrated a win which revives their play-off hopes.
“It’s been an interesting start,” he said. “But I am all in and want to be here for the long term.
“Wins like this obviously help and I thought the team put in a performance worthy of the fans.
“I’m delighted for the boys, particularly Mason who has waited a long time for his first goal.” If the former Rangers chief is to win over the doubters, he must keep Jack Clarke.
The 23-year-old showed just why he’s attracting top-flight interest, laying on two goals and giving his ex-sunderland teammate Lynden Gooch a torrid afternoon.
But the visitors were left kicking themselves that they failed to cash in on the countless chances they created, especially before the break.
When they finally did find the net after Pierre Ekwah had stretched the home lead, it was courtesy of a 74th-minute Jenson Seelt own goal.
Anthony Patterson tipped a Bae Jun-ho drive over the bar on 15 minutes with the lively South Korean going close again 10 minutes later.
Stoke were made to pay when Burstow bundled in from virtually under the bar after Daniel Iversen had kept out Clarke’s stinger and Ba headed the loose ball across goal.
Clarke soon had Stoke backpedalling on the restart and with the winger pulling defenders towards him, he fed the unmarked Ba for a simple finish.
Mehdi Leris and sub Ryan Mmaee had chances to reduce the deficit before Ekwah sealed victory, smartly converting Ba’s cross.
“We controlled large parts of the game and created loads of chances but were not clinical enough,” said Stoke boss Steven Schumacher.
“That’s 37 shots in two games but we’re not working the keeper enough which is unacceptable.” SUNDERLAND: Patterson 7; Seelt 6, Ballard 6, O’nien 6, Hume 6; Neil 7, Ekwah 7; Ba 7 (Pembele (90) 5), Bellingham 7 (Rigg (83) 5), Clarke 8; Burstow 6 (Rusyn (79) 5) STOKE: Iversen 6; Gooch 5 (Johnson (84) 5), Wilmot 6, Rose 5, Thompson 6; Cundle 6 (Vidigal (60) 5), Burger 5, Leris 6 (Baker (71) 5); Jun-ho 7, Campbell 6 (Mmaee (60) 5), Haksabanovic 5 (Lowe (60) 5) STAR MAN: Jack Clarke – it’s only a matter of time before he’s back in the Premier League. REF: Andy Davies 7