Finally, Black Cats have got into some impressive habits
CUP-TIE GAME RESULTED IN ‘BREATHLESS’ FINALE AT PORT VALE
‘PROPER cup-tie football’ was Jack Ross’ verdict on Sunderland’s win at Port Vale.
And after seeing what had started out a Sunday stroll at Vale Park give way to a breathless finale, Ross’ characterisation summed up the game perfectly.
The most important thing was that Sunderland booked their place in the second round .
This was only the Black Cats’ second venture into the first round of this competition – the previous outing coming in 1987 – and no-one in red and white wanted to become part of the first Sunderland side ever to slip up at this stage.
Half-an-hour in, and there seemed little chance of that.
Ross had named a strong side with only one change, and they were on the front foot from the word go.
George Honeyman worked under Vale boss Neil Aspin when on loan at Gateshead three years ago, and their reunion was only 36 seconds old when the Sunderland skipper scored to put his side in the driving seat.
Lynden Gooch made it a two-goal cushion within 20 minutes, and Ross’ side were slicing Vale open at will and threatened to run away with the game.
But a change of personnel and system from Aspin on the half-hour turned the tide.
Tom Pope’s goal 10 before halftime was the first Sunderland conceded in seven hours and four minutes in all competitions, the home supporters seized on the flicker of hope, and suddenly the game became the kind of blood-andthunder cup tie to which Ross had referred.
Vale felt – rightly – that they should have had a penalty when Jack Baldwin brought down Luke Hannant on the hour, Honeyman could have killed the game but was denied by a fine save from Scott Brown, and then in the in the final minutes when the home side threw everything forward, Reece James made a brilliant block to deny Pope an equaliser.
It was no exaggeration to say there was a collective sigh of relief from the Sunderland bench when the full-time whistle went.
While Vale might not have quite had enough to cause an upset, they could certainly have forced a replay and Ross and his team could do without the prospect of another game to squeeze into their schedule.
As it is, Sunderland registered their seventh successive victory in all competitions to keep their momentum going and send the 1,600 travelling fans home happy.
After so many seasons in which defeats became second nature, Sunderland have rediscovered the winning habit and long may it continue.