Match Report: Penalty curse lifted by least likely referee

[Olé]

As storylines go I did not have us ending the penalty drought via a referee who was close to having me believing an EFL fix was a real thing. Gavin Ward went full homer during a drizzly afternoon in Sunderland, waving off every upended City player while awarding a free kick to Sunderland for their equivalents, often in the same passage of play. But Jay DaSilva being literally rugby tackled left him no opportunity to extend our 469 day wait.

The official did not allow play to stop so Rob Atkinson could be stretchered away with a suspected ACL injury, let Sunderland feel so comfortable they literally climbed aboard an irrepressible Alex Scott and at one point had  the insanely brazen cheek to allow a home player to be treated, give City the drop ball, drop the ball, then stop play after City did too good a job from the restart, implying his OWN drop ball had been taken too quickly.

His last gasp award was the very least City deserved after having the better of an end to end first half - in which new signing Anis Mehmeti was almost unplayable. Inside 10 the away side, tigerish all day, won it back in midfield and Scott threaded it to the winger who roamed down the left but was crowded out and a goal kick wrongly given. Then he won a free kick which was played inside for Joe Williams to slash a distant shot wide.

Atkinson went down over the touchline from an innocuous clash - eventually stretched away - and inside 20 City nearly scored an epic goal of Messi proportions as Mehmeti wriggled away from 3 markers fed it to Sam Bell who exchanged with Scott, nearly sent Mark Sykes clear with a through ball but his classy back heel put Mehmeti back in from the left, stroking a perfect finish around the keeper and just off the inside of the far post.

The ball spun right along the goalline before being bundled away and from the resulting corner Scott danced past defenders in the box and cut it back for Mehmeti who saw not one but two close range shots blocked as City scrambed to convert, the ball finally spinning back to Scott who again faced up the goal at the near post but fired narrowly into the side netting. Mehmeti continued to terrorise them, winning another free kick.

On the half hour a continued City pressure this time on the right saw Scott blocked off and bundled over from a throw in and while Ward waved it away Sunderland's long ball sent Amad Diallo clear but sub Tomas Kalas slid in to prevent the one on one. Before half time Sykes charge was upended in the area (obviously not a penalty), the hosts got into the box for two Diallo chances, while Scott was hacked down inevitably nothing given.

After the break it was City again. Right from the restart Kalas won it in midfield and fed it to Mehmeti who comprehensively beat the full back again, roared into the box from the byline and cut it back but no one had space to finish. Next Scott nearly threaded George Tanner clear on the edge of the area with a 90 degree ball, but the keeper beat the wing back to the pass. Mehmeti went clear again and saw a shot blocked for Sunderland to break on the right and flash it across goal.

City were by far the more convincing when in possession - and on 54 Scott won a free kick and Bell saw his header deflected back only for Williams to volley high and wide. At the other end Zak Vyner gave the ball away cheaply and Edouard Michut strode upfield but dragged an early shot well wide. Then a sucker punch - Scott sent Sykes away in a 3 on 2 but City hesitated, Sunderland broke to Jack Clarke in the left channel to curl home.

1-0 down in a match they had the better of, City made a triple switch - Nahki Wells, Andi Weimann and Harry Cornick on for star man Mehmeti, Tanner and Bell. In truth a change of shape nullified the visitors who appeared disjointed in the final stages. Then ref Ward with his inexplicable drop ball - allowing full back Ajibola Alese to claim City's dangerous through ball with his hands and demand the retake of his own drop ball (no, seriously).

City clung on and Max O'Leary made point blank saves twice from Patrick Roberts as the home side finally looked on top - but the away team looked fitter, stronger and their heads never dropped. With five minutes left Cornick held it up on the left, laid it back to Williams who swung in a cross fellow sub Weimann met far post and headed down for Cornick himself arriving near post to hook in, defenders somehow clearing their lines. 

Nigel Pearson's last gamble was to throw on Jay DaSilva for Williams in the final minutes and City pressed after Wells, on the stroke of normal time, slipped inside and squared it to Cornick in the area who couldn't find the angle - but deep in injury time DaSilva raced in from the left, clear from Trai Hume who in a despairing tumble grabbed the wing back by the legs. Even Ward couldn't airbrush it, a first penalty in an agonising 68 game run. 

Travelling fans (at their furthest trip of the season) celebrated the moment and Sykes played joker, keeping home players guessing and needling the wrong taker, only for Wells to step up and drill it left of the keeper into the bottom corner. Up in the distant, lofty away end, pandemonium as a curse lifted. 37,000 fans silenced by only our second league penalty in 114 matches. On full time Pearson and team lapped up raucous applause.

O'Leary 6

Tanner 7

Pring 6

Vyner 6

Atkinson 6

Williams 6

James 8

Scott 9

Bell 7

Sykes 7

Mehmeti 9

 

Kalas 7

Wells 7

Weimann 6

Cornick 6

DaSilva 7

[Always Believesham]

Excellent report as ever.

So glad you mentioned that absurd drop ball, I was particularly annoyed that, the ref. brought play back for a retake (for what reason?) - it confused the hell out of me but I had put it down to a few too many bevvies on the way up!

Aside from the performance of the official(s), decent day out and a well earned point. Disciplined 11 supported by committed subs who were all effective

cheers Olé, top report

Edited February 18, 2023 by Always Believesham

[The Original OTIB]

I did wonder if Sykes giving the impression he was the pen taker was planned in any way, but it was great mind games all the same. Keeper wasting time winding up the wrong player, genius.

[Kid in the Riot]

Let's cut to the chase here, Rob - where are you currently drinking vodka coke?

 

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Kid in the Riot

[DT The Optimist]

Top top report. Many thanks ole

[Malago]

1 hour ago, The Original OTIB said:

I did wonder if Sykes giving the impression he was the pen taker was planned in any way, but it was great mind games all the same. Keeper wasting time winding up the wrong player, genius.

If only.  There was a genuine argument between. Sykes, who grabbed the ball first, and Wells, about who would take it.

 It took Andi to Intervene and tell Sykes to give the ball to Wells, to sort it out.

[REDOXO]

Mehmeti is obviously a good player. I think he does need to be a bit smarter in playing the ball to one of ours. However he had a great 70 minutes or so!

[bcfc01]

I saw it as;

O'Leary 7

Tanner 7

Pring 6

Vyner 5

Atkinson 7 (in the short time he was on)

Williams 6

James 8 (MoM)

Scott 6

Bell 5

Sykes 7

Mehmeti 7 

 

Kalas 7

Wells 7

Weimann 5

Cornick 5

DaSilva 7

Edited February 19, 2023 by bcfc01

[CiderJar]

Toby Mowbray is a very nice man

 

[Port Said Red]

I don't know how anyone could give O'Leary 6, one great reaction save, another where he did well to get his body behind a ball that bounced like a leg break in front of him, took command of his area for several crosses and his distribution was more accurate than usual. He still missed a few of the balls out to the wing but it will come.

He looks calmer and more assured by the game, Mr Haikan may have come to England for the experience, but he doesn't look like getting much at this rate.

[exAtyeoMax]

11 hours ago, Olé said:

As storylines go I did not have us ending the penalty drought via a referee who was close to having me believing an EFL fix was a real thing. Gavin Ward went full homer during a drizzly afternoon in Sunderland, waving off every upended City player while awarding a free kick to Sunderland for their equivalents, often in the same passage of play. But Jay DaSilva being literally rugby tackled left him no opportunity to extend our 469 day wait.

The official did not allow play to stop so Rob Atkinson could be stretchered away with a suspected ACL injury, let Sunderland feel so comfortable they literally climbed aboard an irrepressible Alex Scott and at one point had  the insanely brazen cheek to allow a home player to be treated, give City the drop ball, drop the ball, then stop play after City did too good a job from the restart, implying his OWN drop ball had been taken too quickly.

His last gasp award was the very least City deserved after having the better of an end to end first half - in which new signing Anis Mehmeti was almost unplayable. Inside 10 the away side, tigerish all day, won it back in midfield and Scott threaded it to the winger who roamed down the left but was crowded out and a goal kick wrongly given. Then he won a free kick which was played inside for Joe Williams to slash a distant shot wide.

Atkinson went down over the touchline from an innocuous clash - eventually stretched away - and inside 20 City nearly scored an epic goal of Messi proportions as Mehmeti wriggled away from 3 markers fed it to Sam Bell who exchanged with Scott, nearly sent Mark Sykes clear with a through ball but his classy back heel put Mehmeti back in from the left, stroking a perfect finish around the keeper and just off the inside of the far post.

The ball spun right along the goalline before being bundled away and from the resulting corner Scott danced past defenders in the box and cut it back for Mehmeti who saw not one but two close range shots blocked as City scrambed to convert, the ball finally spinning back to Scott who again faced up the goal at the near post but fired narrowly into the side netting. Mehmeti continued to terrorise them, winning another free kick.

On the half hour a continued City pressure this time on the right saw Scott blocked off and bundled over from a throw in and while Ward waved it away Sunderland's long ball sent Amad Diallo clear but sub Tomas Kalas slid in to prevent the one on one. Before half time Sykes charge was upended in the area (obviously not a penalty), the hosts got into the box for two Diallo chances, while Scott was hacked down inevitably nothing given.

After the break it was City again. Right from the restart Kalas won it in midfield and fed it to Mehmeti who comprehensively beat the full back again, roared into the box from the byline and cut it back but no one had space to finish. Next Scott nearly threaded George Tanner clear on the edge of the area with a 90 degree ball, but the keeper beat the wing back to the pass. Mehmeti went clear again and saw a shot blocked for Sunderland to break on the right and flash it across goal.

City were by far the more convincing when in possession - and on 54 Scott won a free kick and Bell saw his header deflected back only for Williams to volley high and wide. At the other end Zak Vyner gave the ball away cheaply and Edouard Michut strode upfield but dragged an early shot well wide. Then a sucker punch - Scott sent Sykes away in a 3 on 2 but City hesitated, Sunderland broke to Jack Clarke in the left channel to curl home.

1-0 down in a match they had the better of, City made a triple switch - Nahki Wells, Andi Weimann and Harry Cornick on for star man Mehmeti, Tanner and Bell. In truth a change of shape nullified the visitors who appeared disjointed in the final stages. Then ref Ward with his inexplicable drop ball - allowing full back Ajibola Alese to claim City's dangerous through ball with his hands and demand the retake of his own drop ball (no, seriously).

City clung on and Max O'Leary made point blank saves twice from Patrick Roberts as the home side finally looked on top - but the away team looked fitter, stronger and their heads never dropped. With five minutes left Cornick held it up on the left, laid it back to Williams who swung in a cross fellow sub Weimann met far post and headed down for Cornick himself arriving near post to hook in, defenders somehow clearing their lines. 

Nigel Pearson's last gamble was to throw on Jay DaSilva for Williams in the final minutes and City pressed after Wells, on the stroke of normal time, slipped inside and squared it to Cornick in the area who couldn't find the angle - but deep in injury time DaSilva raced in from the left, clear from Trai Hume who in a despairing tumble grabbed the wing back by the legs. Even Ward couldn't airbrush it, a first penalty in an agonising 68 game run. 

Travelling fans (at their furthest trip of the season) celebrated the moment and Sykes played joker, keeping home players guessing and needling the wrong taker, only for Wells to step up and drill it left of the keeper into the bottom corner. Up in the distant, lofty away end, pandemonium as a curse lifted. 37,000 fans silenced by only our second league penalty in 114 matches. On full time Pearson and team lapped up raucous applause.

O'Leary 6

Tanner 7

Pring 6

Vyner 6

Atkinson 6

Williams 6

James 8

Scott 9

Bell 7

Sykes 7

Mehmeti 9

 

Kalas 7

Wells 7

Weimann 6

Cornick 6

DaSilva 7

Gary Owers’ reaction to us getting a penalty was magic.  

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by exAtyeoMax

[mozo]

1 hour ago, Port Said Red said:

I don't know how anyone could give O'Leary 6, one great reaction save, another where he did well to get his body behind a ball that bounced like a leg break in front of him, took command of his area for several crosses and his distribution was more accurate than usual. He still missed a few of the balls out to the wing but it will come.

He looks calmer and more assured by the game, Mr Haikan may have come to England for the experience, but he doesn't look like getting much at this rate.

That's weird, I thought O'Leary looked a bit jittery (I don't mean he wore a Nirvana T shirt ).

I thought his kicking was a bit dodge, and I wasn't so convinced by his handling. Maybe I had shit in my eyes!

[Harry]

The ref and lino also missed what could have been a very crucial offside. 
Near the end when Roberts had the shot saved from close range it rebounded to Diallo who then had a shot blocked for a corner. Diallo was offside from the original shot. Luckily we cleared the corner and it didn’t bite us. But another instance of very poor officiating. 

[Harry]

11 hours ago, Always Believesham said:

Excellent report as ever.

So glad you mentioned that absurd drop ball, I was particularly annoyed that, the ref. brought play back for a retake (for what reason?) - it confused the hell out of me but I had put it down to a few too many bevvies on the way up!

Aside from the performance of the official(s), decent day out and a well earned point. Disciplined 11 supported by committed subs who were all effective

cheers Olé, top report

Yep. Terrible reffing. 
He stopped it as he hadn’t realised their players were by the dugout getting drinks / instructions. 
End of the day, they have no business being over there. So once the ref drops the ball, it’s in play. Doesn’t matter that half their team were on the sideline. 
Ridiculous reffing. 

[italian dave]

1 hour ago, mozo said:

That's weird, I thought O'Leary looked a bit jittery (I don't mean he wore a Nirvana T shirt ).

I thought his kicking was a bit dodge, and I wasn't so convinced by his handling. Maybe I had shit in my eyes!

I’m with @Port Said Red and thought he had a good game, better than a 6. 

I know what you mean about his kicking, although he generally kept it on the pitch yesterday, which is an improvement on a couple of recent games. Part of the problem is that he’s clearly following instructions and we have one plan A - get it out to Pring to flick on to Mehmeti - and no plan B. Which makes it relatively easy for opponents to work out. 

Handling wise, one dodgy moment first half but otherwise I thought he was good, and two really top class saves. Came out of his box a couple of times and judged those well. And when he came for high balls he did well, I thought: in a very crowded area he caught several cleanly, and got enough on the others to achieve what was needed. 

[italian dave]

11 hours ago, REDOXO said:

Mehmeti is obviously a good player. I think he does need to be a bit smarter in playing the ball to one of ours. However he had a great 70 minutes or so!

It’s an interesting one. There was a spell in the second half when he tried to do a bit too much and I thought exactly the same. And it was almost as though he had the same thought himself, because for the following few minutes, every time he got given the ball he just passed it straight to another City player, but without having created any real threat. And on one of those occasions he passed it straight back to James, who himself passed it straight back to Mehmeti again, and almost seemed to be saying ‘no, you have a run’. 

I guess it’s all in that word you used - smart. And I’m confident that will come. But it’s also one of those things that easier to define with hindsight! He tried to do too much a couple of times - and managed to do it! And that’s when he creates great chances, 

Ironically, in the second half there was a moment when he was on the wrong end of Sykes/Bell (?) not playing the ball to him when he would have had a tap into an open goal.

[maxjak]

Great report as always................Mehmeti is the Messi of the Championship Ha!.........Mowbray is a really nice Fella. and Max deserves an 8...... IMHO

Edited February 19, 2023 by maxjak

[ciderwithtommy]

Great report as always! 
 

I would like to see scuffing/hacking the penalty spot being made a red card offence. It’s such a pathetic thing to do, and in line with the rule of attempting to stop a goal scoring opportunity. Booking isn’t a big enough deterrent. I would also feel the same if it was us doing it, haha.