Sunderland secured a two one win over relegation threatened Burnley on Saturday afternoon at the SOL thanks to first half goals from Frazier Campbell and Darren Bent. Burnley pulled a goal back in the second half from Stephen Thompson but it proved to only be a consolation on a sunny day on Wearside where the lads secured their Premiership status for another season.

We lined up with Gordon in goal behind Hutton, Mensah, Turner and Richardson. In midfield Malbranque continued on the left alongside a youthful engine room of Meyler and Henderson with Campbell right wing. Up front Jones and Bent.

We started ok and almost fluked an early goal when Bent’s deflected cross almost caught Jensen out and looped over the line but the keeper got back to make the save. For twenty minutes Burnley tried to play nice football but without being spectacular we were on top and almost took the lead from a free kick won right next to the corner flag by Alan Hutton.

Jordan Henderson crossed for John Mensah who rose like a salmon and powered a great header low towards the bottom corner only to be denied by Jensen low down to his left.

We took the lead after a nice move through the middle saw Hutton eventually feed Campbell who flicked the ball into the corner with the outside of his boot. We should have doubled the lead moments later when Hutton again knocked another great ball in from the right wing but though Bent connected well with his header it dropped the wrong side of the post.

Just before the break we did deservedly doubled the lead with another well worked goal. Turner made a good interception and found Meyler who clipped a ball into the box towards Campbell. Campbell who had sprung the offside trap nodded the ball nonchelontalny back across goal into the path of Bent who made no mistake tucking the ball home.

At half time there was an exhibition from the academy showcasing the future of SAFC which was good to see. Hopefully there was another Jordan Henderson amongst them.

After the break we seemed to take it easy and sit on our two goal cushion though we still had chances to further our lead. Richardson bombed forward and fired wide whilst Hutton went on a similar run beating about four players only to be denied by Alexander just as he was about to pull the trigger. Gordon was called into action once getting down to his left to save a shot from Eagles whilst Fox looped a free kick dangerously onto the roof of the net.

With about twenty minutes to go and Howard Webb looking to give Burnley every decision possible, we gifted them a route back into the game losing the ball carelessly in the midfield. With Hutton out of position due to the misplaced pass Burnley capitalised and Thompson blasted low past Gordon into the bottom left hand corner.

The goal rallied the Burnley team and fans though we almost hit back soon after when Jones forced a decent save from Jensen. Frustratingly we seemed happy to again sit on our lead as on a few occasions we nicked possesion from Burnley when they had overcommitted men forward but we failed to move forward decisively and kill the game off.

Having said that after Burnley scored they never threatened again and Bent had a goal disallowed for offside after he had latched onto a clever pass from Malbranque and volleyed into the top corner.

The three points mathematically secures our Premiership status for another season but with three games to go I just hope the lads look to finish the season on a high as the fans deserve it.

Final Score: Sunderland 2 Burnley 1

ALS Man of the Match: Kieran Richardson

Aidan Crowe

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