Another afternoon travelling down the country rather that putting in a full day at work but there you go. That’s what happens when your opponents are doing so well in the FA Cup. We raked through a pile of old SAFC programmes (courtesy of Ms A. Coldwell), disbelieving at how long it was since such luminaries as Milton Munez and Matty Piper played for us, and we travelled the length of the country to watch lads of such questionable quality. We also decided, courtesy of Ben, that folks like Phillips, whatever they did for us, should not be welcomed back to the SoL in such happy fashion – in fact, you want your Lads to do serious damage to them. The Queen’s tolerated our opinions, put some lovely scran on, and got us well warmed up for the trip to Villa with their super beer and scary pork scratchings.

A couple of changes, probably to be expected, as we lined up
Gordon
Hutton Mensah Turner Ferdy
Campbell Hendo Richo Catts Steed
Bent

All of which meant that we could swap things around with either Rico or Campbell moving up behind Bent to beef up our attack. Mensah carried on where he’d left off against Brum with another muscular performance, this time against a slightly larger opponent in Carew. Gordon did what al good girls should do and snapped his legs shut at the right time to deny a goal, but it was one of those games that flew form one end to the other. Bent flew through to lash home, but was denied by an offside decision that deserves a second look. Gordon was there again, twice, to keep us in the game. Nice one – does Our Wullie know what his little known pal Tall Skinny Craig is up to these days? – and we took advantage to produce some nice, measured football. One of Heskey’s castors came loose, and he was replaced on 12. Another ten minutes of to-ing and fro-ing resulted in a cracking ball through the middle for Campbell run onto Richo’s through ball, sort his feet out and pick his spot from just inside the box. 22, and 1-0 to us, fantastic. Lovely finish, and just about deserved. Good defending came from all around the team, with Steed getting back on several occasions and Turner getting in the vital headers to complement Mensah’s vision. Bent and Campbell got into their box and own a corner, then Villa built a spot of pressure which ended in a cross from their right and we couldn’t find a leg as long as Carew’s. !-1 on the half hour, and a real contest. The game carried on in the same vein for the rest of the half, and when Bent found Campbell with a nice touch, Fraizer’s sot was not that far wide. One minute added, and it was as much value for money as the preceding 45.

Very satisfied with a draw at the break, and very appreciative of a proper game of football. No changes for the second half, and we won an early corner off Dunne as Bent pressured. We nearly got trough from a free-kick, but the linesman on our side gave an impossible offside as he set off on 45 minutes of nonsense in both directions. Hendo almost let Villa in with a horror pass, but we were resolute in defence even when Craig’s save should have resulted in a corner rather than the goal kick we got. Rico worked a shot which was well saved, then Campbell shot a yard wide as we at least matched the home side for attacking play. On the hour, there were free pies on offer, so John fetched a pile of them back to keep us sustained as the game continued as a very open affair. Petrov got away, but was halted by more excellent defending, and with twenty to go, Mensah went off for Da Silva, who slotted seamlessly into central defence. Steed, having another brilliant game, found Campbell’s head, and the knockdown was fired well over by Catts. Dunne was forced into an error and Bent was through only to win a corner. Down at the other end, a free kick was fired well over by Young, and with ten to go, Steed (worth at least 4 eeeeees tonight) made way for Cana. Just what you need in a game that’s flown from one end to the other and with only ten to go – another midfield killer to complement Catts and keep the opposition at bay.

Three minutes extra were announced, and Villa managed to fashion a chance that was headed wide, and we put in the requisite blocks to keep the home side at bay.

So, 1-1 at the end, and a great game of football. If we’re going to draw games, then I don’t mind them happening in games like this (and maybe the City home game) because they’re proper games of football. Play anything like this for prolonged periods, then we’ll be OK as a team and a club. A very satisfying evening all round, and a great point that we’d all have taken before the game.

Man of the Match? A whole team full of good displays tonight, with Catts back to his best doing what he does best, Hendo almost back to his best, and Bent working well and being well supported from a mobile midfield. See, five in the middle can work, especially when there are three happy and able to get forward and support a hard-working Bent. Steed was there again with the sort of display that brought him to Wearside in the first place, and there were solid defensive performances all round – with the now compulsory suite of top-drawer saves from Gordon. For me, though, on top of a really well taken goal, young Mr Campbell snuck it with another bustling performance in which he was here, there, and everywhere. Midfield first half, up front second half, nice one. We watched Deliverance on the way back, which was in no way a reflection on our performance, but unfortunately, we’d seen it all before Derby thanks to what we thought was yet another accident on the A38. Turned out to be a wannabe jumper on a bridge. Guess what – they got no sympathy from us.

Happy Days indeed.

Keep the Faith

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