Controversial strike ends Cats' recent good home run

3:02am Monday 10th March 2008

Sunderland 0 Everton 1

SUNDERLAND'S two month unbeaten home league run was ended by Everton yesterday - with controversy surrounding the game at the Stadium of Light.

Manchester United were the last side to beat Roy Keane's men on Wearside in the Premier League back on Boxing Day, but they went down to an Andrew Johnson goal in the 55th minute that appeared to come off the striker's arm.

But that was not the only controversy with a crude challenge by Phil Bardsley on Stephen Pienaar - referee Alan Wiley only producing a yellow card with the full-back was lucky not to see red for the offence.

The home side never really started playing until they went a goal behind and it wasn't until injury time that they tested Tim Howard's reflexes as he tipped over a free-kick from substitute Andy Reid.

The game itself had added significance to the Sunderland players who were keen to exorcise the ghosts of Goodison Park - beaten 7-1 back in November.

Keane took full responsibility for that trouncing admitting his team selection and tactics were wrong. That may have still have been on his mind as he opted for a cautious approach yesterday in a 4-1-4-1 formation - Dean Whitehead in a midfield holding role and Kenwyne Jones on his own in attack.

Only four Sunderland players started yesterday who began the reverse fixture which may be down to Keane's inability to determine exactly what his best XI is rather than the strength in depth of his squad.

Injury hasn't helped that but Keane appears clear on his preferred back four, which may be boosted if Jonny Evans is allowed to sign permanently at the Stadium of Light in the summer.

For that to occur Sunderland must be playing Premier League football and with an abysmal away form they can ill-afford to gift Everton three points.

The one surprise - if Keane's decision-making process could ever be described as surprising - was Anthony Stokes in with Reid left on the bench.

The game had all the makings of a none too pretty contest and it took until the 16th minute for the first shot at goal if Phi Jagielka's header straight into the hands of Craig Gordon from Mikel Arteta's corner counted as a shot.

Everton's pursuit of a Champions League spot produced a healthy turn-out from Merseyside in the away end. Hopefully they hadn't come to be entertained.

For the home fans it's results that counted and their screams for handball when Stokes cross smashed into Joleon Lescott's arm was, if anything, a release of tension.

It seemed to work in the stands as they then proceeded to get fully behind their team cheering any challenge from a Sunderland player and jeering any decision referee Wiley gave against them.

Tension on the pitch, however, was in plentiful supply with one or two rash challenges from home players earning rebukes.

A foul by Bardsley on Arteta on the half hour saw the Spaniard grab the ball on the ground only for Stokes to then attempt to kick it out of his hands.

A scuffle then developed with Johnson, already having earned the wrath of fans following a perceived dive earlier on, getting involved. Bad tempered would not be a correct description for a first half that will live long in no-one's memory - it was just plain bad.

Whitehead was booked, unluckily, for what appeared to be a 50:50 challenge with Yakubu - Wiley apparently believing the Sunderland players were targeting the 18-goal striker.

It appeared neither side were targeting their opponents' goals until Everton had three corners close to half-time the final one producing header from Tim Cahill that Stokes did well to divert off the post with Johnson heading the rebound over. . .

The second-half started with Michael Chopra replacing the ineffective Stokes and the Sunderland players apparently realising they were playing at home.

Three minutes after the re-start the best move of the match involving Kieran Richardson and Daryl Murphy saw the Irishman's cross just evade the head of Jones in the box.

With Sunderland enjoying their best spell of the game the inevitable occurred.

Danny Collins needlessly gave the ball away on the Sunderland's left and play switched to Everton's right soon after.

Arteta delivered a ball in and with the marking non-existent Johnson's elbow diverted the ball away from Gordon and in.

A 1-0 scoreline appeared good enough for David Moyes side and they were more than happy to sit on their advantage. That left the home side with the task of taking the game to the visitors.

With that in mind Keane replaced Murphy with Reid but his side's hopes appeared to rest with Kieran Richardson's probing.

An interchange of passes with Leadbitter put Richardson in on goal but his right-footed effort was screwed wide. Chopra then cracked an effort that was blocked by Jagielka, who also stopped the rebound.

With time running down and Bardsley was guilty of an appalling challenge on Pienaar in the 78th minute, which the South African was lucky to get up from. Referee Wiley, however, decided the incident only warranted a yellow card.

Tony Hibbert eased Jones off the ball soon after but Wiley wasn't interested.

Sunderland's best chance of an equaliser came in the fourth minute of injury time. Reid's free-kick was tipped over by Howard with Jones' header from the corner cleared off the line by Lescott.

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