Match Review - Sunderland (h)

[Jourdan]

Derby 0-0 Sunderland
By Jourdan Rhule

Sunderland gained a rare point away from home yesterday but they could have and perhaps should have gone back up north with all three.

Just minutes in, Daryl Murphy curled a right-footed 20 yard drive against the inside of Roy Carroll’s left-hand post. The Rams responded by going close themselves shortly afterwards, but after neatly controlling the ball with his chest, Kenny Miller, with his back to goal, could only hook his left foot effort considerably wide of fellow Scot Craig Gordon’s right-hand post from 18 yards. Michael Chopra powered a close range header over the bar after Andy Reid supplied an inviting cross from the left before Tito Villa shrugged off his marker in the box to stroke a right foot shot towards goal from 6 yards but the Argentine was unable to get enough purchase on his close range effort as the ball trickled into the arms of Gordon.

From that point, chances were limited due to the stop-start nature of Mike Riley’s refereeing and the embarrassing lack of quality on show from the two sides. Yet it continued to be the visitors who looked most likely to edge ahead but the officials left the Black Cats cursing their luck. With the half drawing to a close, Michael Chopra poked the ball past Carroll from close range after Andy Reid wriggled free in the box to tee up the former Newcastle striker with a left wing cross. But the goal was controversially ruled out for offside despite Rams defender Jay McEveley playing the goal-scorer onside. And Alan Stubbs almost spared the blushes of the officials on the stroke of half time, when his miscued clearance almost resulted in an own goal. The ball ricocheted off his heel but flew inches wide of Carroll’s left-hand post to his relief.

The second half unfolded in a similar fashion to the first with opportunities at a premium and Sunderland resuming their dominance. The Mackems had Derby pinned back in their own half but were simply not clinical enough in the final third to grab the goal they desired.

With both managers seemingly unsatisfied with just a draw, there were 3 substitutions in 9 second-half minutes. Rams midfielder Hossam Ghaly entered the fray for David Jones before the hour mark. Meanwhile, Grant Leadbitter replaced Andy Reid for Sunderland before Derby made a further change with Craig Fagan trading his place on the bench with Mile Sterjovski on 66 minutes.

All of Derby’s best chances seemed to be falling to Kenny Miller, but the Scottish international scooped a long-range shot inches over the bar. Both managers took one final roll of the tactical dice with substitutions moments from full time – Rob Earnshaw took the place of Tito Villa while Anthony Stokes came on for Daryl Murphy for the away side.

And as time ebbed away, it was the Black Cats who rallied late on for a winner. After seizing on a through ball from midfield, Kenwyne Jones closed in on goal but only managed to scrape his left foot shot from the edge of the area comfortably wide of Carroll’s left hand post. Then former Ram Danny Higginbotham was denied another goal on another return to Pride Park, when Hossam Ghaly hoofed the former Stoke defender’s right-foot volley off the line at the back post.

Kenny Miller was eager to snatch a last-minute winner for Derby, but couldn’t make the most of three openings with Gordon in goal showing assurance to exterminate fears of a last-gasp defeat for Roy Keane's Sunderland.

Player Ratings

Carroll – 6 – Will have wondered how he managed to escape with a clean-sheet.

Edworthy – 5 – Really struggled to handle Higginbotham and Richardson who piled on the pressure down the left wing.

Stubbs – 7 – MOTM – The experienced defender was as cool as a cucumber at the back.

Moore – 6 – Did well to contain the threat of the powerful and athletic Kenwyne Jones.

McEveley – 5 – Still coming to terms with a premature return to first team action.

Sterjovski – 6 – Given a rough time by the opposition on his first start for the Rams but still managed to show moments of promise.

Jones – 5 – Blew hot and cold on a rare Premier League start.

Pearson – 5 – Made a few dangerous runs from midfield but little else.

Lewis – 5 – Disappointing return to first team action for the US international.

Villa – 6 – Solid display by the striker, who provided commendable support for strike-partner Miller.

Miller – 7 – Derby’s biggest threat going forward.

Subs.:

Ghaly – 6 – Did little going forward but chipped in with a crucial stoppage time goal-line clearance.

Fagan – 5 – Subdued substitute appearance for the right-winger.

Earnshaw – 5 – Never got close to making an impact.