TRANSFER TALK: Who do you think should be Sunderland's first choice targets in the summer? Which positions do you feel the club need to strengthen? • Share your views here

EDITOR'S CHOICE HAVE YOUR SAY Charity hits back as MP labels parents feckless NEWS Escape bid sealed fate of tragic cave pair Cheers! We’re backing Darlo Territorials in century celebration NEWS IN VIDEO Undercover van to help catch benefit fraudsters Dogs do their bit for charity One man band School garden opens 'Great Escape' veteran visits region RACING PODCAST Racing tips and reports with Graham Orange of Go Racing FORMULA 1 News and Race Reports F1 Blog Circuit Guide Predictions THE HEADLINE GAME * Pit your wits against The Northern Echo and TFM in The Headline Game GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Boro facing a three-way battle to sign Sidwell 2 Dunne open to offers 3 Banned driver only caught as accident was filmed by TV crew 4 Yorke's Sunderland future determined by a Keane call 5 Psychopath's "whole life" sentence overturned 6 Quakers boss calls on players to set tempo 7 Escape bid sealed fate of tragic cave pair 8 Cattle market wins battle over council noise order 9 Howson the hero for Leeds 10 Drunk father abandoned baby daughter in sweet shop Today | 7 Days 1 Thieves and knaves beset The Shakespeare Tavern 2 Celebrations as Laura wins Miss Durham competition 3 Post Offices face cull as cuts to service revealed 4 Motorists see red over speed camera confusion 5 Fury at PlayStations plan for prisoners 6 Cattle market wins battle over council noise order 7 The last post 8 Musak 9 Big demand for squirrel meat 10 'I've been kicked in the teeth by Labour'

Comment

BOLTON were thinking of Premier League survival; Sunderland were thinking of their holidays in the sun. It was never going to be hard to predict how this one would turn out.

With last weekend's 3-2 victory over Middlesbrough having already guaranteed the Black Cats another season in the top-flight, it's hard to be too critical of the Wearsiders' failure to rouse themselves for today's trip to the Reebok.

Had a dreadful first half finished goalless, Roy Keane's side might have gathered momentum during the second period and pressed for a winner.

As it was, El Hadji Diouf's 42nd-minute strike was sufficient to settle a game that will not figure prominently in too many end-of-season reviews on Wearside. And even if it wasn't, Daryl Murphy glanced in an 82nd-minute own goal just to be sure.

The match will be remembered rather more fondly in Bolton, as the Trotters will go into next weekend's final game of the season at Chelsea knowing that their goal difference means they are effectively safe from the drop.

Sunderland's best opportunity was squandered when Kenwyne Jones failed to connect with Roy O'Donovan's cross 20 minutes from time and, while the visitors improved after a triple substitution on the hour mark, they never really threatened to get back on level terms.

They will finish with just two away wins all season, but after Arsenal visit the Stadium of Light next Sunday, they will still be able to look back on a successful return to the top-flight.

4:24pm Sunday 4th May 2008

Print

Email this

Comment

Add your comment

Name:
Email: *
Location:
**
	e.g. 123-123
Comment: Please note: All HTML tags will be ignored. Format Text:
By posting a comment, I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms of use. Comments are not moderated but we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention and we may delete inappropriate postings. Please treat other people with respect. You must not post anything that is abusive, indecent, unlawful or defamatory. Remember, you are personally liable for what you post on this site. If you wish to complain about a comment, contact us here.
* Your email address will not be displayed ** To avoid register now or login