Well, we knew when this season started it would likely be a roller coaster ride, what with lots of long serving stalwarts: managers, coaches and players either retiring, taking a break or moving onto pastures new. And we weren’t kidding.
In ten days we have had a disappointing loss at home to Crook, which we could have got something from but where we never fired really well, followed by a damn close run thing at Bishop Auckland, or so my spies tell me. Really shouldn’t have been of course. Shoulda, coulda, been out of sight in the first twenty minutes, and made chances throughout, but still required a rescue mission in the last ten, which we pulled off really well. And then a tremendous performance at Newton Aycliffe, second top and going like trains, where we attacked brilliantly, defended superbly, with yet another central defensive partnership of Jakab and Allen (sounds like an old time music hall act), after Ben Errington was forced out in the warm up, coping with everything Aycliffe threw at them, and that was plenty. And finally, well beat at Ashington, giving away sloppy goals, mind, against what looked like a real good side, although even then we showed great spirit and managed a couple of goals late on, even when down to ten men, as Max became the latest to be crocked..
That is another concern, I can’t remember when we ever had continual injury problems like this season. To be fair I can’t remember much these days. Right from the start we have never managed to play the same side twice, feels like a bit of a curse at the minute, particularly with centre halves. But it will change.
Anyway, enough. Four games, two wins, and with what should be, fingers crossed, a couple of winnable games to come at home, isn’t so bad. Its just a bit of a roller coaster ride.
Overall a lot of positives to be taken, some excellent individual performances, good spirit, very strong at the end of games, good substitutions making a difference in matches, but sometimes a lack of concentration which costs us dear. Not to mention threatening my blood pressure.
So, whats happening elsewhere? The big boys at the SoL are going well after the Pompey glitch. Which was interesting. I can’t imagine any Northern League referee not calling the game off, regardless of the score, if the ball was stopping so badly in the water. I have heard a lot of fans saying the refs are very erratic in League One, but you would have thought that they would be better as they they go up the levels. But what do I know. All seems good so far though for SAFC, as long as they don’t get distracted by irrelevant Cups, which is all of them in Sunderland’s current position. We shall see.
Even more surprising than Sunderland’s revival is the fact we now have two decent tennis players, never been known since the 60’s. Mind, Cameron Norrie is only technically British, by way of South Africa and New Zealand. Still the lad won better than a million dollars in the States for winning at Indian Wells, so he must be doing something right.
I stick to my view that tennis tends to be the favourite sport of people who don’t like sport, the Cliff Richards of this world for instance. Who, to be fair,has done less damage to tennis than he ever did to music…