Football: Sunderland fusillade frustrated by Welch
Sunderland 1 Bristol City 1
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.FOR 19 days short of a year now, Sunderland have been invincible in their Stadium of Light. Not since Middlesbrough's visit on 28 September last year has the darkness of a home defeat descended on Peter Reid and his team of promotion-pushers.
Last night their unbeaten home run stretched to a quarter-of-a-century of matches. It stopped short, however, of the victory Sunderland needed to retain pole position in the First Division.
Bristol City pinched a point with the one shot they managed on target in 90 minutes. It was delivered, with two minutes remaining, by the right boot of Soren Andersen. From a range of 20 yards, the City substitute beat his fellow Dane, Thomas Sorensen.
Sunderland's goalkeeper had spent the rest of the evening as just another unemployment statistic on Wearside - unlike his opposite number.
Keith Welch spent two unsuccessful weeks on trial with Sunderland two years ago and his return looked likely to be a less than happy one when he allowed Darren Williams' right-wing cross to slip from his grasp in the 13th minute. It presented Kevin Phillips with the half-chance he duly buried from the edge of City's penalty area.
Welch needed his cross-bar to keep out an even more spectacular volley by Phillips seven minutes later but thwarted Sunderland's goalpoacher in the 24th minute, diving to his right to save a well-struck penalty after Sean Dyche was judged to have felled Daniele Dichio.
Welch continued to redeem himself long into the second-half, saving from Phillips and Allan Johnston at point-blank range. He also had Tom Doherty to thank for denying Phillips and Johnston with goal-line clearances.
It ought to have been a landslide victory for Sunderland. Instead, it was they who slipped.
There were just two minutes left on the clock when Andersen, a 66th- minute substitute for Julian Watts, showed the pedigree of a striker who was on international duty for Denmark in Belarus last weekend.
Peter Reid might have needed a little cheering up afterwards but John Ward was a happy man. "It was a bit of a smash and grab," the City manager said.
Sunderland (4-4-2): Sorensen; Williams, Melville, Butler, Gray; Summerbee, Mullin, Ball, Johnston; Phillips, Dichio. Substitutes not used: Smith, Bridges, Craddock.
Bristol City (5-4-1): Welch; Locke, Watts (Andersen, 66), Carey, Dyche, Bell; Murray, Doherty, Hewlett, Tinnion (Goodridge, 80); Akinbiyi. Substitute not used: Cramb.
Referee: D Pugh (The Wirral).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments