Sunderland 2 Coventry 0 - 03/02/2007
Sunderland 2 Coventry 0 - 03/02/2007
Sunderland: Darren Ward, Nayron Nosworthy, Stanislav Varga, Ross Wallace (Tobias Hysen 61), Danny Collins, Grant Leadbitter (Danny Simpson 72), Dean Whitehead, Carlos Edwards, Daryl Murphy (Anthony Stokes 60), Dwight Yorke, Stern John
Subs not used: Clive Clarke, Marton Fulop
Booked: Grant Leadbitter 71
Goals: Yorke 19, Edwards 84
Coventry City: Luke Steele, Colin Hawkins, Marcus Hall (Adam Virgo 45), Andrew Whing, David McNamee, Kevin Thornton (Jay Tabb 35), Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Leon McKenzie, Kevin Kyle, Michael Mifsud (Dele Adebola 81)
Subs not used: Arran Lee-Barrett, Christopher Birchall
Booked: Andrew Whing 19
Attendance: 33591
Referee: S Mathieson
Teamtalk
Dwight Yorke and Carlos Edwards eclipsed compatriot Stern John to steer Sunderland's promotion bid back on track with a 2-0 win over Coventry.
The Trinidad & Tobago trio have been recruited to bolster Sunderland's promotion bid, but while John struggled to make an impact on his debut, Yorke and Edwards prospered.
Yorke planted a firm close-range header past Sky Blues goalkeeper Luke Steele in the 19th minute and Edwards added the coup de grace with a stunning strike from 25 yards in the closing stages.
Striker John was recruited earlier this week from Coventry for an undisclosed fee to become the Black Cats' sixth signing of the January transfer window.
He was paired in attack with Daryl Murphy, yet it was the visitors who created the first clear opening in the second minute.
Kevin Thornton slipped a neat pass through to Leon McKenzie who sprung the offside trap and found himself completely unmarked inside Sunderland's 18-yard box.
He hesitated, however, and his left-foot shot was not powerful enough to trouble Darren Ward.
Coventry caretaker manager Adrian Heath held his head in his hands and his mood hardly improved as the half wore on.
Grant Leadbitter's swift pass to John gave the new man an opportunity to turn and shoot but he also dithered and the visitors cleared the danger.
Murphy then fired straight into Steele's midriff after being released down the right flank but in the 19th minute Sunderland were ahead.
A cynical foul by Coventry left-back Andrew Whing on Dean Whitehead gave the Black Cats a free-kick on the right which was played deep to the far post.
The visitors attempted to clear their lines but the ball was hooked back into the six-yard box where Yorke rose highest to head the ball past Steele.
Coventry proceeded to create a steady stream of half-chances and it took a fine save from Ward to turn away Michael Mifsud's low piledriver.
The visitors were then dealt a blow when Thornton sustained an injury and was carried off on a stretcher 10 minutes before the break.
John was given a chance to silence the taunts from the travelling supporters on the stroke of half-time but his low 14-yard strike failed to hit the target.
McNamee hit the bar within seconds of the restart and Yorke then wasted a gilt-edged chance to double Sunderland's tally when he blazed carelessly over the crossbar from 10 yards.
Coventry kept plugging away and Edwards, who signed from Luton last month, provided a flash of inspiration to seal the points.
The tricky winger collected possession 25 yards from goal and struck a fierce shot from the right side of the penalty area which flew past Steele and into the top corner.
It was his second goal in three games and Keane will hope John proves as potent in front of goal in the coming weeks.
CCFC
Coventry City suffered a 2-0 defeat at Sunderland courtesy of goals from Dwight Yorke and Carlos Edwards.
It was a Trinidad and Tobago affair at the Stadium of Light with both goals coming from men from the Caribbean nation. The Sky Blues failed to clear Ross Wallace's free kick and Yorke headed the ball home from close range on 19 minutes.
The match was put out of reach with six minutes to go when Edwards' shot from 25 yards took a deflection to beat Luke Steele.
Adrian Heath made four changes to the side which beat Luton Town 1-0 in midweek.
All three substitutes from that match - who made such an impression after coming on against the Hatters - were included in the starting line-up at the Stadium of Light.
Kevin Kyle started against his former team in place of Dele Adebola, while Kevin Thornton and Leon McKenzie replaced Chris Birchall and Jay Tabb.
The other change came in the shape of Michael Doyle, who replaced Isaac Osbourne in the centre of midfield after sitting out the Luton game.
It was too early for a debut for Che Bunce, who joined the Club on transfer deadline day.
For Sunderland, former Sky Blues striker Stern John started against the side he left just a week ago, replacing the injured Connolly.
Former City players Marton Fulop and Clive Clarke were on the bench.
The Sky Blues made a bright start when Thornton played a great through ball to McKenzie who found himself one on one with the keeper but the striker could only direct his shot at Darren Ward.
Sunderland were denied their first chance of the game when Stephen Hughes made a great challenge to dispossess debut man John on the edge of the six yard box on six minutes before Hughes again put in some more good defensive work to keep the Black Cats at bay with a powerful header to clear the danger from a corner.
On 13 minutes Luke Steele made his first save of the afternoon albeit a comfortable one, Daryl Murphy stole the ball off Doyle and the striker raced away to hit a low shot at the keeper from the edge of the penalty area.
Disaster struck for Coventry on 19 minutes when Andrew Whing fouled Carlos Edwards and from the resulting free-kick from Ross Wallace, the Sky Blues failed to clear the danger and Dwight Yorke headed home from the near-post to give Sunderland the lead.
Six minutes later City nearly leveled the score when a Whing free-kick found McKenzie who escaped his marker but the former Norwich man could only direct his header over the bar.
Adrian Heath's men were beginning to get back into the game when Thornton skipped past two defenders and threaded the ball through to Michael Mifsud who could only shoot straight at the Sunderland shot stopper who put the ball out for a corner.
The Sky Blues were forced to make a change on 35 minutes with Tabb replacing the injured Thornton. The midfielder was taken off after falling awkwardly after putting Mifsud through on goal and was then stretchered round the pitch.
John nearly made it 2-0 to Sunderland just before half-time, the Trinidad and Tobago international pulled his shot wide of the right-hand post from the edge of the penalty box.
Coventry made a substitution at half-time with Adam Virgo replacing Marcus Hall.
The change saw the versatile on-loan Celtic man play at centre-back.
With the second period of play underway, City again nearly levelled the scored when Mifsud hit the post with a shot from the right channel before Whing went close with a 30-yard free-kick on 49 minutes.
Former Sky Blues striker nearly marked his Sunderland debut with a goal seven minutes later when the striker hit a low shot across goal.
With just over an hour gone Roy Keane made his first changes of the match with new signing Anthony Stokes replacing Murphy and Tobias Hysen coming on for Wallace.
Yorke nearly got himself on the score sheet again when a mistake by Hughes allowed Hysen to cross the ball into the penalty area and the former Manchester United striker volleyed the cross straight over Steele's crossbar.
Mifsud was looking lively and the Maltese international forced Ward into making a comfortable save before the striker turned into a provider and set up Kyle on 70 minutes. The former Sunderland striker found himself with room to turn in the six yard box but the Scottish international could scuff his shot straight at Ward.
In a bid to snatch a late equaliser, City brought on Dele Adebola for Mifsud with nine minutes remaining.
The match was put out of Coventry's reach on 84 minutes when Edwards struck a shot from 25 yards out, the rasping drive took a deflection which fooled Steele and went into the top left hand corner of the net.
4thegame
Sunderland kept up their promotion challenge with goals from Dwight Yorke and Carlos Edwards sunk Coventry City at the Stadium of Light.
But after Yorke had headed the Black Cats into an early lead, Coventry had the better of the chances to draw level only to be dealt a cruel sucker-punch by Edwards' superb late strike.
Coventry should have been off to a flying start, Leon McKenzie being guilty of a dreadful miss in the second minute after complete disarray in the home defence.
Kevin Thornton jinked his way through but McKenzie, completely in the clear, had his close-range shot turned behind by Darren Ward.
Sloppy defending in the Coventry defence let in Edwards who found Daryl Murphy but a weak shot was easily saved by Luke Steele and then a promising run and cross from Edwards was just beyond Stern John.
A poor challenge by Andrew Whing in the 18th minute on Dean Whitehead earned the full-back a booking and, from Ross Wallace's resultant inswinging free-kick, Sunderland went ahead.
Confusion reigned in the penalty area when Stan Varga challenged and Yorke reacted first to the loose ball in the air and headed firmly just inside the post.
The lively Michael Mifsud carved open the Black Cats defence, gliding his way past three defenders only to be denied by Danny Collins, and then the Maltese star forced Ward into another great save on the half-hour as Coventry continued to give as good as they took.
But they suffered a big blow in the 34th minute when Kevin Thornton, at the heart of nearly all their attacking moves, went down heavily in a midfield challenge and, after lengthy on-field treatment, was eventually stretchered back to the dressing-room and replaced by Jay Tabb.
Sunderland twice went close to increasing their lead just before the interval, Varga heading weakly at Steele from Whitehead's cross and John shooting just past the post when set up by Edwards.
Coventry, who brought on Adam Virgo for Marcus Hall at the start of the second half, pressed strongly with a shot-cum-cross from Mifsud bouncing off the top of the bar and a 25-yard free-kick from Whing whistling just past the post with Ward at full stretch.
Roy Keane sent on Anthony Stokes and Tobias Hysen just after the hour but Coventry continued to force the pace with Ward making another stunning save from Kevin Kyle who played on despite suffering a painful hand injury.
The Black Cats, however, made the three points save in the 84th minute, a stunning volley from Edwards taking a huge deflection to wrong foot Steele.
Stokes had a shot saved and John headed just past the post as further gaps appeared in the Coventry defence in the vain hope of salvaging a point.
Roy Keane expressed his delight after his injury-hit side stretched their unbeaten run to five matches.
He said: "I'm delighted with the win, it's a clean sheet, three points and we move on.
"The performance was okay, we can play better than that and have done this season without getting anything out of the game.
"I thought Dwight Yorke was different class and the added bonus is he is getting goals. Stern John did very well and we had to put him straight in after two injuries on the training ground on Friday.
"David Connolly took a nasty facial injury and after seeing the specialist he was told to take a few days rest, he wasn't even at the game today, and Jonny Evans was also not available.
"Give credit to Coventry they had to come at us after conceding an early goal but our subs have come on and we looked very solid.'' Coventry's caretaker manager Adrian Heath said: "I can't ask anymore from the players in terms of effort.
"They've done really everything I can ask of them but if the powers that be don't think that I have done enough, then I can't help that.
"I was pleased with the effort and we have had the better chances and the most clear-cut chances. I am disappointed with the result but the performance and effort was tremendous.
"Goals change games and the second goal came when we were the more likely to score. There was a lot to come out of the game and we have to be positive."
Sunderland: Darren Ward, Nayron Nosworthy, Stanislav Varga, Ross Wallace (Tobias Hysen 61), Danny Collins, Grant Leadbitter (Danny Simpson 72), Dean Whitehead, Carlos Edwards, Daryl Murphy (Anthony Stokes 60), Dwight Yorke, Stern John
Subs not used: Clive Clarke, Marton Fulop
Booked: Grant Leadbitter 71
Goals: Yorke 19, Edwards 84
Coventry City: Luke Steele, Colin Hawkins, Marcus Hall (Adam Virgo 45), Andrew Whing, David McNamee, Kevin Thornton (Jay Tabb 35), Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Leon McKenzie, Kevin Kyle, Michael Mifsud (Dele Adebola 81)
Subs not used: Arran Lee-Barrett, Christopher Birchall
Booked: Andrew Whing 19
Attendance: 33591
Referee: S Mathieson
Teamtalk
Dwight Yorke and Carlos Edwards eclipsed compatriot Stern John to steer Sunderland's promotion bid back on track with a 2-0 win over Coventry.
The Trinidad & Tobago trio have been recruited to bolster Sunderland's promotion bid, but while John struggled to make an impact on his debut, Yorke and Edwards prospered.
Yorke planted a firm close-range header past Sky Blues goalkeeper Luke Steele in the 19th minute and Edwards added the coup de grace with a stunning strike from 25 yards in the closing stages.
Striker John was recruited earlier this week from Coventry for an undisclosed fee to become the Black Cats' sixth signing of the January transfer window.
He was paired in attack with Daryl Murphy, yet it was the visitors who created the first clear opening in the second minute.
Kevin Thornton slipped a neat pass through to Leon McKenzie who sprung the offside trap and found himself completely unmarked inside Sunderland's 18-yard box.
He hesitated, however, and his left-foot shot was not powerful enough to trouble Darren Ward.
Coventry caretaker manager Adrian Heath held his head in his hands and his mood hardly improved as the half wore on.
Grant Leadbitter's swift pass to John gave the new man an opportunity to turn and shoot but he also dithered and the visitors cleared the danger.
Murphy then fired straight into Steele's midriff after being released down the right flank but in the 19th minute Sunderland were ahead.
A cynical foul by Coventry left-back Andrew Whing on Dean Whitehead gave the Black Cats a free-kick on the right which was played deep to the far post.
The visitors attempted to clear their lines but the ball was hooked back into the six-yard box where Yorke rose highest to head the ball past Steele.
Coventry proceeded to create a steady stream of half-chances and it took a fine save from Ward to turn away Michael Mifsud's low piledriver.
The visitors were then dealt a blow when Thornton sustained an injury and was carried off on a stretcher 10 minutes before the break.
John was given a chance to silence the taunts from the travelling supporters on the stroke of half-time but his low 14-yard strike failed to hit the target.
McNamee hit the bar within seconds of the restart and Yorke then wasted a gilt-edged chance to double Sunderland's tally when he blazed carelessly over the crossbar from 10 yards.
Coventry kept plugging away and Edwards, who signed from Luton last month, provided a flash of inspiration to seal the points.
The tricky winger collected possession 25 yards from goal and struck a fierce shot from the right side of the penalty area which flew past Steele and into the top corner.
It was his second goal in three games and Keane will hope John proves as potent in front of goal in the coming weeks.
CCFC
Coventry City suffered a 2-0 defeat at Sunderland courtesy of goals from Dwight Yorke and Carlos Edwards.
It was a Trinidad and Tobago affair at the Stadium of Light with both goals coming from men from the Caribbean nation. The Sky Blues failed to clear Ross Wallace's free kick and Yorke headed the ball home from close range on 19 minutes.
The match was put out of reach with six minutes to go when Edwards' shot from 25 yards took a deflection to beat Luke Steele.
Adrian Heath made four changes to the side which beat Luton Town 1-0 in midweek.
All three substitutes from that match - who made such an impression after coming on against the Hatters - were included in the starting line-up at the Stadium of Light.
Kevin Kyle started against his former team in place of Dele Adebola, while Kevin Thornton and Leon McKenzie replaced Chris Birchall and Jay Tabb.
The other change came in the shape of Michael Doyle, who replaced Isaac Osbourne in the centre of midfield after sitting out the Luton game.
It was too early for a debut for Che Bunce, who joined the Club on transfer deadline day.
For Sunderland, former Sky Blues striker Stern John started against the side he left just a week ago, replacing the injured Connolly.
Former City players Marton Fulop and Clive Clarke were on the bench.
The Sky Blues made a bright start when Thornton played a great through ball to McKenzie who found himself one on one with the keeper but the striker could only direct his shot at Darren Ward.
Sunderland were denied their first chance of the game when Stephen Hughes made a great challenge to dispossess debut man John on the edge of the six yard box on six minutes before Hughes again put in some more good defensive work to keep the Black Cats at bay with a powerful header to clear the danger from a corner.
On 13 minutes Luke Steele made his first save of the afternoon albeit a comfortable one, Daryl Murphy stole the ball off Doyle and the striker raced away to hit a low shot at the keeper from the edge of the penalty area.
Disaster struck for Coventry on 19 minutes when Andrew Whing fouled Carlos Edwards and from the resulting free-kick from Ross Wallace, the Sky Blues failed to clear the danger and Dwight Yorke headed home from the near-post to give Sunderland the lead.
Six minutes later City nearly leveled the score when a Whing free-kick found McKenzie who escaped his marker but the former Norwich man could only direct his header over the bar.
Adrian Heath's men were beginning to get back into the game when Thornton skipped past two defenders and threaded the ball through to Michael Mifsud who could only shoot straight at the Sunderland shot stopper who put the ball out for a corner.
The Sky Blues were forced to make a change on 35 minutes with Tabb replacing the injured Thornton. The midfielder was taken off after falling awkwardly after putting Mifsud through on goal and was then stretchered round the pitch.
John nearly made it 2-0 to Sunderland just before half-time, the Trinidad and Tobago international pulled his shot wide of the right-hand post from the edge of the penalty box.
Coventry made a substitution at half-time with Adam Virgo replacing Marcus Hall.
The change saw the versatile on-loan Celtic man play at centre-back.
With the second period of play underway, City again nearly levelled the scored when Mifsud hit the post with a shot from the right channel before Whing went close with a 30-yard free-kick on 49 minutes.
Former Sky Blues striker nearly marked his Sunderland debut with a goal seven minutes later when the striker hit a low shot across goal.
With just over an hour gone Roy Keane made his first changes of the match with new signing Anthony Stokes replacing Murphy and Tobias Hysen coming on for Wallace.
Yorke nearly got himself on the score sheet again when a mistake by Hughes allowed Hysen to cross the ball into the penalty area and the former Manchester United striker volleyed the cross straight over Steele's crossbar.
Mifsud was looking lively and the Maltese international forced Ward into making a comfortable save before the striker turned into a provider and set up Kyle on 70 minutes. The former Sunderland striker found himself with room to turn in the six yard box but the Scottish international could scuff his shot straight at Ward.
In a bid to snatch a late equaliser, City brought on Dele Adebola for Mifsud with nine minutes remaining.
The match was put out of Coventry's reach on 84 minutes when Edwards struck a shot from 25 yards out, the rasping drive took a deflection which fooled Steele and went into the top left hand corner of the net.
4thegame
Sunderland kept up their promotion challenge with goals from Dwight Yorke and Carlos Edwards sunk Coventry City at the Stadium of Light.
But after Yorke had headed the Black Cats into an early lead, Coventry had the better of the chances to draw level only to be dealt a cruel sucker-punch by Edwards' superb late strike.
Coventry should have been off to a flying start, Leon McKenzie being guilty of a dreadful miss in the second minute after complete disarray in the home defence.
Kevin Thornton jinked his way through but McKenzie, completely in the clear, had his close-range shot turned behind by Darren Ward.
Sloppy defending in the Coventry defence let in Edwards who found Daryl Murphy but a weak shot was easily saved by Luke Steele and then a promising run and cross from Edwards was just beyond Stern John.
A poor challenge by Andrew Whing in the 18th minute on Dean Whitehead earned the full-back a booking and, from Ross Wallace's resultant inswinging free-kick, Sunderland went ahead.
Confusion reigned in the penalty area when Stan Varga challenged and Yorke reacted first to the loose ball in the air and headed firmly just inside the post.
The lively Michael Mifsud carved open the Black Cats defence, gliding his way past three defenders only to be denied by Danny Collins, and then the Maltese star forced Ward into another great save on the half-hour as Coventry continued to give as good as they took.
But they suffered a big blow in the 34th minute when Kevin Thornton, at the heart of nearly all their attacking moves, went down heavily in a midfield challenge and, after lengthy on-field treatment, was eventually stretchered back to the dressing-room and replaced by Jay Tabb.
Sunderland twice went close to increasing their lead just before the interval, Varga heading weakly at Steele from Whitehead's cross and John shooting just past the post when set up by Edwards.
Coventry, who brought on Adam Virgo for Marcus Hall at the start of the second half, pressed strongly with a shot-cum-cross from Mifsud bouncing off the top of the bar and a 25-yard free-kick from Whing whistling just past the post with Ward at full stretch.
Roy Keane sent on Anthony Stokes and Tobias Hysen just after the hour but Coventry continued to force the pace with Ward making another stunning save from Kevin Kyle who played on despite suffering a painful hand injury.
The Black Cats, however, made the three points save in the 84th minute, a stunning volley from Edwards taking a huge deflection to wrong foot Steele.
Stokes had a shot saved and John headed just past the post as further gaps appeared in the Coventry defence in the vain hope of salvaging a point.
Roy Keane expressed his delight after his injury-hit side stretched their unbeaten run to five matches.
He said: "I'm delighted with the win, it's a clean sheet, three points and we move on.
"The performance was okay, we can play better than that and have done this season without getting anything out of the game.
"I thought Dwight Yorke was different class and the added bonus is he is getting goals. Stern John did very well and we had to put him straight in after two injuries on the training ground on Friday.
"David Connolly took a nasty facial injury and after seeing the specialist he was told to take a few days rest, he wasn't even at the game today, and Jonny Evans was also not available.
"Give credit to Coventry they had to come at us after conceding an early goal but our subs have come on and we looked very solid.'' Coventry's caretaker manager Adrian Heath said: "I can't ask anymore from the players in terms of effort.
"They've done really everything I can ask of them but if the powers that be don't think that I have done enough, then I can't help that.
"I was pleased with the effort and we have had the better chances and the most clear-cut chances. I am disappointed with the result but the performance and effort was tremendous.
"Goals change games and the second goal came when we were the more likely to score. There was a lot to come out of the game and we have to be positive."
posted by SkyBlueSnowy at 7:00 pm
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