Outstanding comeback impresses manager
between the two sides produces an FA Cup second-round replay.
Awful refereeing When you play third-tier football, you have to accept third-tier refereeing.
Craig Hicks got the big call right in sending Power off – although Jack Ross felt otherwise – but from that early point on, he completely lost control over the game.
There were plenty of occasions when the match threatened to boil over, and Sunderland must control themselves better because provocation is a weapon their less talented opponents will often use. Assistant manager James Folwer was yellow-carded, and he must discipline himself better.
But it is sad to say the standard of refereeing in this division has been a huge disappointment. The players, though, just have to get on with it.
New role for Bryan Oviedo but tactical plan quickly backfires
Without wearing goalkeeping gloves, you can scarcely get a bigger change of role than from left-back to right-winger, but that is what Bryan Oviedo was asked to do as Jack Ross caught Walsall by surprise by matching the Saddlers’ 4-4-2 formation.
The change of shape, with Lynden Gooch playing centre-forward, worked well to a point in the opening 23 minutes, with Sunderland forcing nine corners but not doing enough to test Liam Roberts. Ironically, the only really difficult save Walsall’s goalkeeper was forced to make came from Power’s long-range effort.
But Ross’ best-laid plans had to be ripped up after Power’s dismissal, with Gooch pushed back into central midfield, and Josh Maja left more isolated than usual as the lone striker.
Oviedo looked good at 11 v 11, cutting in off the wing to take shot, albeit it did not greatly trouble the goalkeeper.
Once he went down clutching his right hand after falling over trying to chase an Aiden McGeady pass early in the second half, though, it looked like he had lost all heart for the battle. Whether Ross thought so or not, he was quickly substituted.
He’s here, he’s there....
It’s a good job Gooch is an adaptable player.
The American will have been delighted when asked to start the game as Maja’s strike parnter, but once Power was dismissed, he was shoved here, there and everywhere.
Initially shoved out to the right for the 10 men, he was quickly moved into central midfield, where he had some good performances for Chris Coleman. When Chris Maguire came on to the field, Gooch found himself as one of two inside-forwards, and played the ball in for the other one – Aiden McGeady – to score.
Once things settled down after that, Gooch found himself on the right of a three-man central midfield as Sunderland went 4-3-1-1 and started throwing the kitchen sink at the Saddlers. JACK Ross hailed as “outstanding” 10-man Sunderland’s comeback at Walsall as they retrieved a two-goal deficit to salvaged a point.
The Black Cats had to play three quarters of the game shorthanded after Max Power was shown a straight red card midway through the first period.
And when Josh Gordon and Josh Ginnelly put the Saddlers 2-0 up early in the second half, it looked as though Sunderland’s 12-game unbeaten run would come to an end.
But Aiden McGeady pulled a goal back just after the hour and Lynden Gooch levelled in the final minute to extend that run to 13 games in all competitions.
“That opening period of the second half was the only bit that was disappointing,” said Ross.
“We were stoic in the latter part of the first half.
“Our reaction to going two goals down is outstanding, not many teams will play that way with ten men and two goals down.
“They carried that expectation and wearing that badge today.
“The chances created, even if Lynden hadn’t scored last minute I would still say the same things.
“There were so many good things.
“We had to play 65-70 minutes with 10 men, that has a physical impact, the personnel we had on the pitch at that time wasn’t really conducive to us changing shape very easily.
“The only time I could be critical is the five minutes after half-time, other than that we were unbelievably good.
“We changed shape a bit [in the second half] and we gave Aiden a much freer role. Obviously there’s an element of risk in that but he is an intelligent footballer and he picked up areas where he could cause them problems and in the last 30-40 minutes of the game he was very good.”
Ross was convinced that Power was harshly treated by referee Craig Hicks, and has confirmed that Sunderland will appeal against the decision.
Power came into the side in place of the injured Dylan McGeouch, but if Power is ruled out of Tuesday’s game against Barnsley on Wearside Ross may have McGeouch available again.
He said: “Dylan possibly has a chance for Tuesday.
“I thought he would be OK to be in the squad today but he didn’t quite make it and we’ll look at that again tomorrow.”