On this day, Sam Allardyce became the fourth Sunderland manager to beat Newcastle United in their second game in charge, as we beat our fiercest rivals 3-0.
Whilst Steve McClaren suggested that his team
was “utterly dominant” in the first half, the game was tight and cagey for almost the entire first forty five minutes until we got a bit of fortune as referee Robert Madley gave us a penalty following Fabricio Coloccini’s shoulder barge on Steven Fletcher. Whilst less debate can be had over whether it was a penalty or not, the dismissal of the Argentine was somewhat harsh to say the least — not that any Sunderland fan cared!
The penalty was dispatched and further goals from Billy Jones and the aforementioned Fletcher late on saw the team win comfortably, not only giving lift off to Allardyce’s reign but for the season generally as it was our first win of the season.
After the game, Big Sam spoke about the importance of the win, and also suggested that the red card for Coloccini was somewhat on the harsh side.
I think we’ve taken full advantage of a piece of good fortune.
I thought it was a foul because if he hadn’t made contact with him, Steven Fletcher would’ve scored. It was on his left foot, his best side. It’s a bit harsh sending Coloccini off, but sadly that’s the rules.
I’m the fourth manager here to beat our local rivals in their second game. I find that a bizarre statistic but it’s very nice to have kept the run going and make it six in a row against Newcastle.
It was a huge three points. The pressure on us was enormous. It’s taken us far too long to get our first league win under our belt but hopefully we can pick up from here on in.
I thought it was a penalty. But the unfortunate thing is sending him off. Is it really a sending off? Because of the rules, if it’s a goalscoring opportunity, you have to send him off but for me, the penalty is enough.
What we all want is 11 v 11 not 10 v 11. I know it’s gone in our favour today but I thought the penalty was enough and you don’t have to send him off.
The importance of the win was bigger than local bragging rights and it set the tone for the Big Sam era as the team finally began to garner some victories and display some solidity as the season went on.
To this day, it’s the last time that we played Newcastle in the Premier League and a similar result in December is something we would all take now!
