Keane’s history lesson sparks another late show

9:18am Monday 31st March 2008

Sunderland 2 West Ham United 1

"THIS is a big club, a big season in the history of Sunderland Football Club. This has been a proper yo-yo club over the years and you all need reminding of that." - Manager, Roy Keane (29/3/08).

WITH his eyebrows furrowed, a passionate Roy Keane claims to have delivered a message along similar lines in the dressing room that inspired a victory that has edged Sunderland closer to Premier League survival.

Having been sloppy in possession, yet still managed to head into half-time level, Keane dished out a history lesson at the Stadium of Light at the mid-way point of the visit of West Ham.

The Irishman's winning mentality meant that he was stunned to learn that Sunderland had failed to win consecutive topflight fixtures for six years and three months.

Simply wasn't good enough' was his response after being told such an embarrassing statistic, which extended back some 126 matches, and he was quick to hammer home the point to his players.

On the back of the crucial 1-0 victory at Aston Villa, Keane knew his team had the ability to conjure up an eighth home win of the campaign.

And while it might have taken 330 seconds after the 90 minutes for Andy Reid to find the crucial match-winner, the Sunderland manager was proved right. His half-time battle-cry did the job.

"They reacted like the good bunch of players they are," said Keane. "They were dead positive when they were down and I thought we deserved the victory.

It gives me great hope.

"Getting back-to-back wins gets the monkey off our backs, even though we made it hard for ourselves. But we want to build a proper football club, where the club literally runs itself."

Kieran Richardson, the club's £5m summer buy from Manchester United, was one of a number to have been singled out for a below-par start to the game, despite gradually improving as the minutes ticked by.

And, despite being targeted by Keane, he makes no secret of the fact that listening to a few home truths inside the dressing room was the catalyst for a win that pushed Sunderland seven points clear of the drop zone.

"He reminded us it had been 126 games since this club had won successive games at this level and he just wanted it to sink in," said the 23-year-old. "It was as passionate as I've seen the manager during half-time. He's always pretty passionate but he wanted to get his message across.

He's a great manager.

"He wants this club to stay in the Premier League. We all do.

We can then bring the top players in next season and I'm sure with the fans base and players we already have here we can do that."

Sunderland showed their character by overturning Freddie Ljungberg's 18th minute opener, when the Swede's low drive from just inside the area deflected off Nyron Nosworthy and rolled into Craig Gordon's far corner.

It was the first time the Black Cats have come from behind to win this season, and the foundations were laid after a simple tap in from Kenwyne Jones arrived following a flowing move just before the half hour.

After the energetic Michael Chopra squared to Reid, the Irishman played a clever wall pass with Dean Whitehead before spraying possession neatly out wide to Richardson.

The left-winger took on Lucas Neill before his centre was flicked goalwards by Daryl Murphy and converted on the line by Jones for his first in 11 matches.

Gordon had to make one exceptional, flying save with his finger tips shortly before half-time to deny Carlton Cole, but that was the last thing the Scot really had to do.

After the restart it was all Sunderland, although they struggled to seriously test the Hammers' Robert Green.

And in the one instance they should have, nine minutes from time, the huge throng of Wearside supporters must have thought their chance of success had gone.

Jones had managed to work his way in behind James Tomkins. He squared to the unmarked Murphy and the Irishman somehow directed his first time shot high over the bar. An awful miss and he was hooked straight after.

After a second half display full of endeavour, passion and, in parts, class, Sunderland deserved that to go in.

And like so often this season, more than five minutes into stoppage time, the winner arrived late. Carlos Edwards, on as a sub, floated a cross into the area, Anton Ferdinand failed to deal with it and Reid was on hand to volley beyond Green.

One of the finest sporting venue's in the country went wild in relief, sensing that Sunderland are on the verge of securing Premier League status for a second year.

Keane, too, shared a smile with fans behind his dug-out.

The task, though, is not yet done. "It's not about getting carried away, we haven't guaranteed survival, far from it,"

said Richardson.

"There's still six more games and we can't get complacent.

Two wins is great but the attitude must be let's make it three, then four and five." All eyes now are on Craven Cottage.

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