Loch and load as Ross’ goal leaves O’Neill in a Stew
IT was the Loch Ness Drogba who rose from Sunderland’s slumbers to stun the home side and leave Stoke boss Michael O’Neill in turbulent waters.
Ross Stewart has had this moniker bestowed on him by the Black Cats fans who witnessed a 26 goal show from the Scottish striker in last season’s promotion season.
Yesterday, he had hardly enjoyed a kick as Stoke dominated the match from the kick off.
But in first-half added time Tariqe Fosu was caught in possession by Jack Clarke and the former Leeds United and Spurs winger brilliantly found the on-running Stewart who went on to beat keeper
Joe Bursik, who reacted sluggishly.
No surprise Sunderland boss Alex Neil was full of praise for the player who provided the decisive moment.
Neil said: “He’s pretty much a complete striker.
“He can take it in, he can run, he can score a goal, he’s good in the air. Ross has all the attributes you need to be a top striker at this level.
“I’ve had some really good strikers over the years in some of the teams I’ve had and Ross is right up there.”
Once again O’Neill’s side paid the price for a lack of punch in front of goal despite handing a debut to Manchester City’s 19-year-old striker Liam Delap.
Unlike his long-throw expert dad and now Stoke coach Rory – a Potteries folk hero – young Delap wasn’t able to make any real impression. It was former Newcastle striker
Dwight Gayle who had the best opportunity to silence the travelling Sunderland fans.
With 10 minutes to go he chased a long ball, did the hard work slaloming past two defenders – only to lift his attempt over the bar.
Former Northern Ireland boss O’Neill could only look on in despair in the knowledge that the
Boothen End is teetering on rebellion with the Potteries outfit hovering around the relegation zone.
Boos rang out at the final whistle as he dashed down the tunnel.
He said: “We are five games into the season and it’s a case of keeping it in perspective.
“We have to build the mentality.
“I believe we have a very good team in the dressing room.”
Jacob Brown had a couple of good chances but Sunderland could have punished them even more with Stewart firing wide and Alex Pritchard missing out from close range.
The only blot on the
Black Cats landscape is that they face an FA rap and fine after collecting six bookings in a scrappy encounter.
STOKE: Bursik 6; Taylor 6, Jagielka 6, Wilmot 6; Fosu 6, Kilkenny 6 (Campbell (68) 6), Baker 7, Smallbone 7 (Clucas (68) 6) Thompson 6; Brown 7 (Gayle 60) 6), Delap 6 (Wright-Phillips (75) 6) SUNDERLAND: Patterson 7; O’Nien 6 (Wright (46) 6), Batth 6, Cirkin 6; Gooch 7, Embleton 7, Matete 6 (Evans (46) 6), Clarke 7; Pritchard 7 (Hume 87); Stewart 6, Simms 6
STAR MAN: Lynden Gooch. Frequently tried to inject life into Sunderland.
REF: Oliver Langford 6