Sunderland 1 - 1 Newcastle

The match began with the intensity expected of a local derby which also unfortunately made for very little football being played. Long balls and hopeful set-pieces were standard fare for the opening stages.

The first notable move (I don’t count head tennis!) led to a decent chance, as on 14mins the ball found Wallace free at the back post only for the full-back to volley over.

When the game did finally settle down the home team had the best of the play. Newcastle’s narrow midfield wasn’t effective going forward leaving the strikers to fend for themselves. Owen and Viduka both created half-chances but never really got the support they deserved as Sunderland began to press for a goal.

The best chance of the half fell to Grant Ledbitter on 33mins. Having just shot wide from Sunderland’s earlier move, he again was off target with a header from 6 yards.

For sides who might become reliant on set pieces they were both guilty of poor delivery time after time.

The half ended with a great turn and shot by Chopra on the edge of the Newcastle box but his shot drew a good save from a full-stretch Harper.

Newcastle stuck with their negative looking 4-1-2-3 for the second half and it was same again as Sunderland looked likeliest to break the deadlock.

On 51mins, a quick corner played in Leadbitter and his superb cross found Higginbottom arriving late at the far post to nod home and give the home side a deserved lead.

Newcastle woke up somewhat after this and as their midfielders were allowed more freedom they began to knock the ball about better. This opened the game up but only as much as the persistent fouling permitted.

On 64mins, Milner found some space on the left to whip a low ball into the box that somehow crept past Gordon and into the corner of the net. It was an equaliser Newcaslte hardly deserved.

Finally it looked as though we had a match on our hands as things went end to end. Jones had a chance to retake the lead moments after the goal but he blasted wide after making room on the edge of the box. A minute later Owen got on the end of a long kick-out, managed to fashion a chance against 2 defenders but his shot was straight at Gordon.

Both sides gave it a go with little success and in the closing stages it was really only Sunderland who remained hungry as the visitors settled for a draw.