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Your support makes all the difference.On the day they said farewell to Niall Quinn, it was somehow fitting that the Stadium of Light returned to the kind of arena it had been when the great Irishman was in his pomp on Wearside. It was noisy, ebullient and celebrating the sight of Kevin Phillips, his one-time strike partner, wheeling away with his arms aloft.
It was a good time to announce his retirement. Sunderland were out of the relegation zone, Howard Wilkinson had his first league victory and Quinn was able to present a cheque to charity for the £1m raised by his testimonial in May, the month when Phillips last found the net. The time in between has been a wasteland of injury, poor play and missed opportunities. Certainly, he eclipsed Robbie Keane, whose decision to turn down Sunderland for Tottenham in the summer undermined Peter Reid's entire strategy for the new season.
However, for a time, it appeared the barren pattern would be continued when five minutes from the interval Gavin McCann stole the ball from Teddy Sheringham and sent Phillips clean through on goal. In seasons past at the Stadium of Light a goal would have been almost automatic, however the former winner of the European Golden Boot is no longer awash with confidence and, having taken the ball around Kasey Keller, he was again denied, this time by the sprawled body of Chris Perry.
Finally, however, his endeavour was rewarded when Michael Gray, having seen his corner blocked, drove in a second cross, which Phillips headed home. His delight was infectious and, two minutes later, his flick-on from Jody Craddock's header sent Tore Andre Flo racing towards the Tottenham goal.
As Wilkinson wryly pointed out, Flo is known for many qualities but grit and persistence are not among them. However, he was able to hold off a challenge from Perry and slide the ball between Keller's legs. Tottenham, who would have moved into a Champions' League position had they managed their customary victory on Wearside, were stung into their most coherent period of play but Glenn Hoddle thought his team's moment came and went when Simon Davies, put through by a beautiful pass from Sheringham, screwed his shot wide a minute before Phillips struck.
"Davies should have scored and if you play like that away from home, you will get beaten," said Hoddle. "There are more gears to our play but we did not show them today."
Sunderland appeared energised by their remarkable victory at Highbury in the Worthington Cup, achieved with what Wilkinson called a "Cinderella side" composed of reserves and fringe players. Michael Proctor, who had been farmed out on loan to York and Bradford, was the 25th player Sunderland have used in 13 Premiership games. On yesterday's display he could prove to be one of the best.
Sunderland's new manager may not have turned pumpkins into golden coaches but he has made average players better and fitter. "We lacked a little bit of self-confidence but once the goal went in, a huge weight was shed from their shoulders. I had no doubts I could improve them but whether I can improve them enough to stay up, I don't know," said a man who argued his club was suffering from a deep sickness when he arrived. "They have had a lot of kicks in the teeth in the last 21 months. There is no miracle cure but the patient is improving."
Goals: Phillips (59) 1-0l Flo (61) 2-0.
Sunderland (4-4-2): Macho 6, Wright 5, Craddock 6, Babb 6, McCartney 6, Proctor 7 (Thirwell 5, 75), McCann 4, Kilbane 6, Gray 6, Flo 7, Phillips 8 (Kyle 88). Substitutes not used: Stewart, Bjorkland, Ingham (gk).
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Keller 5; Carr 5, Perry 4, Thatcher 5 (Iversen 89), Richards 6; Davies 6, Freund 5 (Acimovic 80), Anderton 5, Poyet 4; Sheringham 7, Keane 4. Substitutes not used: Bunjevcevic, Doherty, Iversen, Hirschfeld (gk).
Referee: U Rennie (Sheffield) 8.
Bookings: Tottenham: Perry, Davies.
Man of the match: Phillips
Attendance: 40,024.
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