The point is, draw is a good result for us, says Matthews
CATS HAPPY WITH STALEMATE
SUNDERLAND went to Barnsley on Tuesday looking for the win which would keep their automatic promotion push in their own hands but left satisfied with a draw, according to Adam Matthews.
Victory at Oakwell would have allowed the Black Cats to move into the top two by winning their game in hand on the Tykes - but instead had to settle for a goalless draw.
As well as having to counter a Barnsley team unbeaten at home this season, and at all grounds for their last 16 League One matches, they also had to deal with Storm Gareth, which was in their faces in the first half and at the back in the second. Considering how difficult it made the game, full-back Matthews was satisfied with a draw.
He said: “Conditions were not great, especially in the first half.
“It felt like we were being camped in because every time we cleared the ball it was coming back to us.
“We wanted to win the game but we did not lose and we kept a clean sheet, so that was a positive. We will take a draw.
“They are a good team, they are above us at the minute, but the good thing is we did not lose. In the conditions it was not a bad result for us.
“We kept a clean sheet and it keeps our unbeaten run going.
“All in all, we are happy with a point.”
Sunderland are four points outside the top two, with a game in hand on the rest of the top five and themselves unbeaten in 18 matches in all competitions.
Barnsley play at Doncaster Rovers on Friday evening before the Wearsiders entertain Walsall the next day, their tenth remaining League One match.
There was no escaping the effect the wind and rain had on Tuesday’s game.
“It was difficult, especially in the first half when we felt we could not get out of our own half,” added the Welsh international, who played at left-back in the absence of the injured Reece James.
“The second half was a bit better but still difficult.
“If you cannot get out of your half with the weather conditions Barnsley are going to clamp you and create chances.
“I think Jon (McLaughlin, Sunderland’s goalkeeper) made one save and they hit the bar (through Mamadou Thiam) but other than that I cannot think of many chances they had - apart from their disallowed goal for offside.
“I think we defended well in tough conditions and I think everyone will be happy.
“Even if the conditions had been nice Barnsley are a really good team so we knew it was going to be a tough game.
“I think they are probably happy with a point, we are probably happy with a point and we both move on from there. It is a positive for us we kept our unbeaten run going.”
Matthews was starting a league game for the first time in seven matches and acquitted himself well under the circumstances. James was one of four senior players missing through injury, along with the concussed Tom Flanagan, broken leg victim Chris Maguire and Duncan Watmore, whose season has been ended by an ankle injury.
George Honeyman, who was also concussed, was serving the first game of a three-league-match suspension.
Matthews had lost his place due to the form of the more attacking Luke O’Nien.
He said: “We have a good squad here and we are doing really well so I have had to wait for my chance.
“I came back in on Tuesday and it was a difficult game to play football in but I thought I did all right.”