The knockout blow was Newcastle’s - local rivalry had been restored with almost total domination. Eddie Howe’s side won their first derby for 13 years - subduing a ferocious home crowd, overcoming intimidating, unsavoury chants and banners and a game of passionate competition.
At 3-0 up, after Alexander Isak’s penalty, there was a rendition of: Sunderland ‘Til I Die,” from the Mackem fans. Quite right too. Defiance in defeat. Promotion still to play for.
Can we have more of these intense encounters please? With all the sickening tension, niggle and ruthless fan humour. The player scuffles, tackles being celebrated and big, morale boosting, season-inspiring goals.
Howe’s men did a fantastic job on their rivals, smothering them in the second half, Isak scoring twice, and celebrating with a team photo on the pitch in front of a delirious the away end.
At 8.30am the Geordie masses gathered for their first trip to enemy territory since October 2015, when they lost 3-0. Bleary eyed, the orderly masses were handed a free black and white scarf for the occasion, a cereal bar and a bottle of water. Hardly a beer in sight with city centre pubs requested not to open until 11am.
The Geordies got themselves a convoy. A £150,000 convoy of 120 buses, for the 12 mile trip to Wearside, police escorts, traffic lights held at green, fans craning out of windows to wave V-signs and worse at anything non Geordie. “These convoys are so mental. It feels like Billy Elliot’s dad going to work during the strikes…” said True Faith fanzine contributor Charlotte Robson.
As the first away fans arrived at the Stadium of Light, the abuse was cranked up. “Scum,scum, scum.” Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie had a rough time doing his broadcasting from one Sunderland fan trying to whip up some aggro and accusing him of “being a Mag.”
Inside the stadium was as hostile as it’s been here for years. A full house, in full throated and a roar that shook the main stand. Sunderland fans were not going to let the Toon get away with having controversial Saudi owners.
A flag read: “Be-heady Howe”. There were some distasteful chants. “F*** the Mags, murderers,” and “Amanda Staveley, she melts in the sun…” Kieran Trippier was repeatedly taunted in mass chanting from the home terraces. The England international heard it, and snapped in the 74th minute… pointing to the scoreboard which read 2-0.
Sunderland’s own flag display was spectacular. “Wearside” spelled out in red and white. “These young lads follow in the footsteps of legends…” a long banner read. Legends indeed who had won six out of the last seven games and not lost to Newcastle since 2011. Paolo Di Canio's knee slide, Jermain Defoe’s derby volley, Adam Johnson’s last minute winner. All moments.
For 20 minutes, the malice and vitriol seemed to unsettled the visitors, who were also grasping for form after 9 defeats in 13 games, and a two month slide. “No noise from the Saudi boys…”
But the tide turned. Sunderland banked up squeezing spaces and offered little in attack. And as the home crowd ebbed, Newcastle came on strong. Joelinton marauded, Bruno Guimaraes ticked the ball around and Anthony Gordon found space.
Alexander Isak had a very good penalty appeal ignored by Craig Pawson, and there was no VAR to help the ref. Sean Longstaff and Miggy Almiron both fired good chances past the woodwork. Then the decisive moment on 34 minutes. Joelinton surged down the left and rifled a cross into the box, which Dan Ballard slashed into his own net. Isak would have mopped up himself had it not been an own goal.
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Worse for Sunderland 30 seconds after the restart. Pierre Ekwah was robbed by Almiron, who crossed for Isak to make it 2-0. Confidence restored, there was an element of showboating from the visitors as they exploited extra space. Bruno Guimaraes smashed into a tackle and celebrated like it was a goal in front of the away end.
Luke O’Nein responded with a reducer on sub Lewis Miley and pumped both fists. Aggression wasn’t enough for Sunderland. Newcastle bossed them. It was a £10m squad against a £375m outfit. And it showed.
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