I have the same empty feeling now as I did the last time we played Aston Villa at home last season after again being robbed by useless match officials. Last season Steve Bennett disallowed a perfectly good last minute goal from Danny Collins and today Mike Dean gifted Aston Villa two goals.

Despite dominating the majority of the game Sunderland were hit with a second half sucker punch going down 2 -1 to Aston Villa. Danny Collins headed Sunderland into the lead in the first half before James Milner and Gareth Barry dubiously notched for Villa.

Ricky Sbragia was forced to change the team from last week’s draw with Boro as Kieran Richardson was injured and Steed Malbranque suspended. They were replaced by Carlos Edwards and Teemu Tainio.

Sunderland started the game well and had an early shout for a penalty turned down when Diouf’s corner looked to be controlled with an arm. Villa hit back with Milner and Barry both flashing crosses into the Sunderland box but these were easily dealt with.

We took the lead from a set piece after Kenwyne Jones was cynically brought down from behind. Carlos Edwards curled a cross to the back post which Danny Collins got on the end of to nod past Friedel. The goal really lifted the crowd and players with Sunderland working really hard to get in the faces of Villa and not allowing them time on the ball. Anton Ferdinand almost doubled the lead when he glanced a header wide from a Carlos Edwards corner.

The lads had another great chance to double the lead when El Hadji Diouf played a reverse ball to Dean Whitehead who burst into the box but the midfielders curling effort was saved well by Friedal.

Villa’s best chance in the first half came from a free kick about twenty yards from goal which Diouf had conceded though Ashley Young’s effort curled wide.

After the break Sunderland started where they left off and continued to dominate the game. Kenwyne Jones showed great skill to create a chance from nothing when he took on about three players to make space for himself in the box only for his left footed effort to lack real power.

The game changed for Sunderland when Aston Villa equalised. Villa’s goal should never have stood as it came from James Milner clearly using his arm to convert Ashley Young’s low cross. What was doubly cruel for us was the fact that Nos pulled his hamstring in the build up to the goal trying to catch Young.

This meant Sbragia had to make two changes as Danny Collins also had to go off with a facial injury after he was clattered ten minutes previously. They were replaced by Bardsley and the returning headless chicken Paul McShane. The reshuffling of the defence clearly caused us a few problems and Bardo struggled against Young given the fact that he was playing on the wrong side.

Despite this we should have retaken the lead when Carlos Edwards crossed for Cisse but the Frenchman’s header was straight at Friedel.

The referee, Mike Dean, got one decision right in the game when he sent off Ashley Young for a two footed horror tackle on Dean Whitehead. It was a deserved straight red for the winger and fortunately Whitehead was able to continue after treatment.

Villa stole all three points with ten minutes to go but were aided yet again by the match officials. The incompetent linesman on the West Stand flank who had already missed James Milner’s handball failed to flag Agbonlahor for offside, then when the forward was bundled over Mike Dean pointed to the spot. It was a foul by McShane, no question but people who have seen the replay have said it was outside the box.

Marton Fulop did his best to put off Gareth Barry by delaying the spot kick and the Hungarian received a booking for his trouble but Barry eventually blasted the penalty into the top corner giving him no chance.

We ended as we’d begun, on top, and had another shout for a penalty waved away from Mike Dean when Edwards cross clearly struck a Villa arm. A couple of late corners saw Marton Fulop head forward but Villa saw the game out.

Yet again we are left in a precarious predicament in the league thanks to the failure of the match officials to get big basic decisions correct. It is a worrying trend which has dogged the club since being promoted back to the Premiership. Aside from the two goals today the performance from Mike Dean and his assistants was horrendous throughout the game with him constantly getting things wrong.

Final Score: Sunderland 1 Aston Villa 2

ALS Man of the Match: Teemu Tainio

Aidan Crowe

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