HOW we rated the players during Sunderland's game with Walsall.
Goals:
0-1: Gordon (4, flicked in a lovely finish when he was given the space to meet Dobson’s curling free-kick)
1-1: Cattermole (33, chested down at the back post before hammering a volley from a tight angle that hit the woodwork and went in)
2-1: Grigg (71, latched on to Wyke’s touch to go on and side-foot a tidy finish inside Roberts’ left-hand post)
Bookings: Leadbitter (34, foul); Guthrie (38, foul); Cattermole (49, foul); Gordon (56, foul); Gooch (90, foul)
Referee: Alan Young (Westmorland) – put a few names in the box, while managing to keep the game flow that never posed too many issues. 7
Attendance: 34,647
Entertainment: **
Sund Wal
Shots on 6 3
Shots off 8 4
Corners 7 1
Fouls 15 19
Offsides 2 3
SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1):
6 McLaughlin: Didn’t have too many saves to make but when he was required he was equal to them except for the opening goal;
8 O’NIEN: Got down the line plenty to create a number of chances and also defended when he needed to
5 Flanagan: Back in the team at the expense of Dunne and didn’t look as assured as he has been, although did get better
6 Baldwin: Put his foot in when he needed to in the main even if there were a few moments when he allowed his man too much space
5 Matthews: Given a few tough moments by the tricky Ismail and had more defending to do than O’Nien;
6 Leadbitter: Had a few efforts on goal from distance and was always the man Sunderland relied on to take set-pieces again
6 Cattermole: Another goal to his name from the middle of midfield and at this rate he could hit double figures;
6 Morgan: Had a couple of decent efforts on goal early on but faded as half-time approached and when Sunderland could have done with a bit of magic
6 Power: Might not possess the creativity of some in a No 10 role but still went close to scoring a couple of times
7 McGeady: The likeliest man to unlock the Walsall door even if his brilliance on the ball was only in flashes;
7 Grigg: Just the one effort when he forced Roberts into a good save with his feet but then hit the winner
Subs
Gooch (for Cattermole 62): Didn’t have the impact Sunderland would have loved. 5
Hume (for Matthews 67): Had to do plenty of defending when he was introduced. 5
Wyke (for Morgan 71)
(not used): Ruiter (gk), McGeouch, Dunne, Sterling.
WALSALL (4-3-3): ROBERTS 8; Devlin 6, Scarr 6, Guthrie 7, Leahy 6; Kinsella 6, Dobson 7, Edwards 5 (Oteh 88); Ismail 7, Blackett-Taylor 5 (Cook 73); Gordon 7. Subs (not used): Dunn, Fitzwater, Osbourne, Laird, Norman.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Luke O’Nien – he might not have been a full-back before his arrival but he keeps justifying his place in the side in that role with displays like this.
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