Sunderland had just suffered a midweek humiliation at West Ham United, but boss Denis Smith was keen to show faith in his players and so stuck with the same starting XI to go up against Bradford City next time out.
The manager’s biggest hurdle to picking an unchanged side had been Gary Bennett, who was carrying a knock going into the match against the Bantams, but an alteration to the substitutes bench helped negate that, with Mickey Heathcote getting a precautionary nod should Benno end up struggling
during the game – Thomas Hauser having to relinquish his space in the match day squad to free up the necessary room.
Hauser had also been a doubt anyway following a training ground injury, but Smith’s main focus was actually in the middle of the park. Despite going down 5-0 in the capital the main concern going into the Bradford fixture was the supply line to his prized strike force of Marco Gabbadini and Eric Gates; since getting the goals to beat Bournemouth at the start of the month the G Force had been starved of service, and now the Lads were back on home soil management and supporters alike were keen to see them get the chance to shine.
As it was, it was another defender that settled the clash with Terry Yoarth’s team, with a bright start validating the decision to stick with a line up that was desperate to respond to the West Ham embarrassment. Blustery conditions didn’t help the flow of things and the attack still stuttered at times, but in John MacPhail Sunderland had a man that who could contribute at both ends of the pitch, and he came through with a vital winner.
The central defender had already gone close when from 20 yards out he lashed a rebound from Gates just wide, and having gone back up for a Paul Hardyman free kick he was in the right place to ram home a loose ball in front of the Roker End – his initial attempt and a Colin Pascoe try both being blocked in a bout of pinball beforehand.
Sunderland won a couple of corners soon after as they looked to double their advantage, yet the visitors were always in things, even though they were yet to win a league game on the road that season. Admittedly, Gabbiadini would have put an end to the contest had two crosses along the front of goal been a fraction more accurate, but City had chances also with Greg Abbott poking a shot against the post, and in the final moments his opposite fullback Brian Tinnion seeing an effort from distance being tipped over the bar magnificently by a flying Tim Carter.
The Rokerites had shaded things, and the save confirmed the points they just about deserved, so without ever being at their best they had ended a busy week on a high. Seven days prior a defeat at Leeds United had seen them slip out of the automatic promotion spots, with the ‘hammering’ that came in between continuing the slide down the table. Now back in the play-off places though, they were reenergised and about to go again; Bournemouth were due back up on Tuesday for a Littlewoods Cup tie ahead of a trip to Smith’s old club Stoke City the following Saturday, and the gaffer was to retain his eleven for both outings…
*Would Smith’s vote of confidence pay dividends? We’ll continue the story next week but are rounding things off for now with a highlight for one particular Sunderland fan, who was keen to show her colours on a day of personal pride around that time. A week before the Bradford City match Kate Adie was recognised by her hometown by being granted the Freedom of the Borough; she had been nominated for her inspirational work in journalism by Cllr Charles Slater, leader of the council, and attended the ceremony with her parents Wilfrid and Maud whilst wearing a smart red, white and black outfit.
Commander Richard Davey was also present as the 182-strong crew of the town’s adopted warship HMS Arrow was also honoured for the charity work it had undertaken locally. Slater, who prior to the civic event was one of only seven Freemen since local government reorganisation in 1974, said that “we are proud [that Kate] is a Sunderland lass, a canny lass” before rather poignantly noting that “If we in Sunderland are not to be allowed to build ships – and it would appear so, much as we regret it – then at the very least we are proud to have adopted HMS Arrow.”
Adie herself responded by saying she had “always been proud top say I come from Sunderland. Today I mean it more than ever” whilst a gracious Davey claimed his crew were “the Envy of the Navy, to be Freeman of Sunderland and to be admitted to that special group who live in Sunderland”. The pair were handed illuminated scrolls and carriage clocks before inspecting a party of sailors that had just paraded through the town alongside the Band of the Royal Marines.
Saturday 21 October 1989
Barclays League Division Two
Sunderland 1 (MacPhail 8’)
Bradford City 0
Sunderland: Carter; Kay, MacPhail, Bennett, Hardyman; Owers, Bracewell, Armstrong, Pascoe; Gates, Gabbiadini. Unused: Heathcote, Cullen.
Roker Park, attendance 14,849
