WAITING GAME PAYS OFF FOR PARKY
PHIL Parkinson felt his Sunderland side were rewarded for their patience against Bristol, a flurry of late goals seeing the Black Cats pick up another victory in their charge for promotion.
“I thought we played well in the first half, we just couldn’t get a goal,” said Parkinson.
“You don’t always get everything your own way in football, sometimes it doesn’t fall for you.
“We reiterated at half-time, keep moving the ball quickly, keep switching it, keep getting into areas where we know we could hurt Bristol Rovers, keep knocking on the door and eventually it’ll come.”
Referee Ben Toner made a number of questionable decisions during the first half, including turning down a strong Sunderland penalty appeal.
Parkinson added: “The other thing we spoke about was keeping cool heads. Everyone was getting frustrated with some of the decisions out there, and we don’t want that to detract from that what we’ve got to do on the football pitch.”
Sunderland were on top throughout, though Rovers’ defence was only breached once Abu Ogogo was sent off after which goals by Lynden Gooch, Charlie Wyke and Luke O’Nien secured a ninth win from 12 games.
For long spells Parkinson’s men failed to seriously trouble goalkeeper Jamal Blackman.
Nobody was on hand to finish an inviting Denver Hume ball across the goalmouth, Wyke turned the ball over at the near post and O’Nien headed inches over when meeting Hume’s cross.
But on the hour mark referee Toner dismissed Ogogo, who had collided with Chris Maguire off the ball, and 13 minutes later the floodgates opened.
Gooch added the finishing touch to a lovely passing move, side-footing in after a pass from the right, and Wyke soon doubled the advantage when he rounded Blackman.
It was 3-0 when Maguire made ground down the right, pulling the ball back for O’Nien, and his effort took a heavy deflection before hitting the net
Rovers boss Ben Garner was frustrated with Toner, claiming Wyke’s goal should not have been allowed as Tony Craig suffered a head wound in the build-up.
Garner was booked for his protestations, and he said: “The second goal, I absolutely cannot fathom. The referee has told me it wasn’t a clash of heads. I’ve asked for an apology because it’s a very clear clash of heads and the game should stop straight away.
“He’s booked me for saying it’s a clash of heads.
“The rules are the rules, it’s a clash of heads, it’s dangerous.”