Sunderland: Sorensen , Arca (Oster 70) , Craddock , Gray , Makin , Thome , Williams , Hutchison , Kilbane , Phillips , Quinn
Subs not used: Macho , Rae , Thirlwell , Reddy
Bookings: Quinn 42, Gray 66,

Leicester City : Flowers , Davidson , Impey , Taggart , Rowett , Elliott , Lennon , Savage , Akinbiyi (Benjamin 74) , Eadie , Cresswell
Subs not used: Royce , Gilchrist , Oakes , Guppy
Bookings: Taggart 42,

 
A Great Day For The Planet.

Peter Gilbert 1.10.00.

Sunderland 0 Leicester City 0

Intro:

A great day for the Planet and October 1st 2000 must be remembered in history. A day when a celebration of life itself in the form of the Sydney Olympics was so glorious that it just made you feel good to be alive.

The Australians put on a show that was brash, self confident, honest, entertaining, uncomplicated and thoroughly entertaining. Their contribution to the world should be held up as an example to us all.

I suppose everyone takes along their own personal experiences through life in an almost subconscious way, everywhere they go. As I watched the Sydney Olympics draw to a magnificent conclusion my mind drifted back to a hot August in 1989 when the City of Leicester hosted the 3rd National Special Olympics which too was a great success specifically designed to involve athletes from all over the world, all of whom had learning difficulties. Leicester should feel proud of that time and I thought about The Special Olympics oath ‘Let me win…..but if I can’t win….let me be brave in the attempt’ - worthy words indeed for what lay before us in Sunderland.

I also thought of my involvement in the Special Olympics which was musical as well as helping organise the football tournament. I wrote the Leicester Special Olympic song ‘You Can Try’ which was performed by the children with special needs from the school where I was teaching and those words too echoed round my mind:….

‘You may not win every battle,

But You Can Try - You can Try.’

I remember speaking to a referee after the final of The Special Olympics tournament. He was in tears, humbled by the pureness of the attitude of the players involved, the friendliness and the humility shown. I won’t forget that either and I dredge such memories out after experiencing games such as we endured against Red Star Belgrade which was tainted with cynicism bordering on the evil off the pitch.

I need my good memories, we all do, otherwise we’d couldn’t carry on.

So it was with all these emotions whirring round inside me that I ventured forward with Olympic ideals to The Stadium of Light.

The City of Leicester is full of pride and it’s football team were on this day trying to add further to it’s long list of sporting achievements by going top of The Premiership.

And so the gladiators entered the arena to the strains of classical music which to inspire everyone to achieving their ultimate.

The Match
Sunderland at the start of this match were unbeaten at home and would no doubt be up for it. They have a good team, Philips, Quinn, Hutchison and Kilbane in particular.

We had Izzett out with a back strain and Guppy demoted to the bench. Eadie in midfield and Akinbiyi and Cresswell up front. The wing backs were Impey and Davidson other than that we were unchanged.

Sunderland kicked off surrounded by the massed ranks of Black Cat fans the vast majority of whom wore the club shirt……I was envious of their set up.

The first action saw Cresswell win three free kicks followed by a quick break down the left by Kilbane who’s cross just eluded Philips.

Eadie played a ball forward for Akinbiyi, he steamed towards goal and shot very narrowly wide. City once again creating chances which is good, but not taking them which is not so good and a little concerning.

Davidson fed by Taggart put in a good cross and won a corner which was well worked to back to Davidson who shot wide.

Then it was Sunderland who won a corner which was flicked dangerously across goal, but City escaped unscathed.

The game of ‘ping pong’ continued without any real threat on either goal for the next few minutes with Savage again prominent in all areas of the pitch.

15 mins: Akinbiyi appeared to be struggling and limped around the pitch whilst trying to keep away from PT’s enquiries who was ‘disappointed’(his favourite word have you noticed?) that the player appeared to be struggling. Meanwhile Benjamin was warming up purposefully.

Lennon was full of conviction and was showing the inspired form we have relied so heavily on during the course of the last few seasons.

Akinbiyi and Cresswell all too often were failing to get hold of the ball and our occasional attacks were breaking down as a result. They both take up good positions and run well into space but there it ends.

30 mins: At the back Rowett was applying himself effectively who along with Elliott and Taggart was making for a solid City defence ably fortified by Tim Flowers.

Hutchison, Makin and Kilbane were menacingly well organized. Gray had a good shot which Tim Flowers tipped over as Sunderland began to take charge.

City replied with good work from Eadie who fed Akinbiyi who’s well delivered low cross looked ripe to turn into the net but it was smothered by Sunderland’s defence.

Quinn controlled a ball well on his chest in the box and slack City marking allowed him a shot which was very narrowly wide.

Savage fed Creswell who on his first start for us shot on target but his effort demanded only a routine save.

Taggart and Quinn squared up to each other and both players were booked for their trouble.

Akinbiyi got hold of the ball and shot embarrassingly wide. Taggart felled Hutchison and Sunderland fans bellowed for Irish blood, Gerry has 5 bookings now and will receive a suspension shortly.

Challenges were flying in and we just hoped to get to half time with our goal intact in the heat of the battle and despite a couple of late corners we did just that.

Half Time
We chatted over a coffee at half time and had to admit that we would settle for this result by the end of the match. We also remarked how pleasant it was not to be dodging missiles and red flares. We did too mention a certain Stanley and hoped we could retain his services which judging by the first half performance were sorely needed. Then again we don’t want our team spirit damaging………oh I don’t know…….somebody do something for our sakes. Also as the result stood we were top of the league but I suppose it doesn’t qualify at half time. We also mentioned how lovely Kylie Mynogue looked in her fluffy swim suit.

Half time at Sunderland is certainly more inspiring than Birch’s penalty shoot out, we ought to book whoever organized Sydney 2000 Closing Ceremony to liven up our pre-match and half time entertainment naturally we would be ‘disappointed’ if Kylie wasn’t involved at some point.

Second Half
The classical music started up again , the players dragged themselves back onto the pitch and battle re-commenced with a header over our bar by Gray and then Creswell yet again losing control of the ball, doesn’t he practice?

Sunderland again looked lively and Hutchison forced Flowers into a hurried save.

Akinbiyi charged and fizzled again. PT shouted at Creswell from the touch line, hopefully it was a threat to send him back from whence he came, no sorry that’s unfair.

I felt at this stage we would never score so the priority would have to be to stop them playing.

60 mins: Davidson whipped in a great cross which invited Creswell to launch himself acrobatically forward and his headed attempt was very well saved by Sorensen in the Black Cat’s goal.

Sunderland though were soon back at our throats and bombarded our defences mercilessly but we stood firm and tried to gain possession of the ball and keep it in a style of football totally alien to our former regime.

A Sunderland corner was well cleared to Eadie who shot like a whippet at goal but his effort whistled narrowly over.

Kevin Philips then had three opportunities to squeeze the ball over the line but miraculously Flowers blocked twice, Rowett smothered the ball and Taggart cleared it away.

The idea of us going top seemed about as likely as hell freezing over at this time.

Robbie Savage received his customary boos and City began to control patches of play, but it remained patchy and a lengthy spell of passing was concluded by Creswell’s ineptitude.

We got behind Robbie Savage and sang out our devotion to him loudly and defiantly.

‘Mr trani man’ seated nearby with ear piece attached suddenly shouted out ‘Arsenal are winning.’ Come on lads come on, hang on in there.

Benjamin loomed on the touchline but a good spell of City play delayed his appearance but he eventually linked up with Creswell. Benjamin is a big lad, quick and strong but an unknown quantity in the Premiership.

He was quickly in the action as he charged at Sorenson with the ball, Thome didn’t like the look of it and was booked for complaining.

80 mins: Oakes came on and Eadie ventured a little more forward with Benjamin becoming the archetypal target man.

Every time Philips touched the ball a collective gasp came from the City fans who feared the worst from the lively but sporadic striker.

‘Arsenal are still winning’

PT started pacing about and the game went into overdrive with the ball flying about Pinball Wizard style.

Quinn flicked, Philips darted, Kilbane probed and Hutchison passed but our defence was holding firm.

Savage had Sunderland wound up now and tackles flew wildly at him as he sprinted through his marathon.

Black Cat fans began to leave for home, would we be all alone at the end of the game?

We now got to the stage of ‘next goal wins it’.

‘Half time at Highbury Arsenal are still wining.’

90 mins:

3 mins stoppage time to play

Eadie and Benjamin broke away with back up from Savage and Thome was forced into conceding a corner which Oakes took and Taggart headed wide while PT was desperate to get Guppy on for the limping Eadie.

Then out of the blue the final whistle went and we filed out more than satisfied with our battling gritty performance which was never pretty but our back three of Rowett, Elliott and Taggart were magnificent. Lennon was back to his old obstinate self, Savage ran his socks off and we might have scored on a breakaway.

After thoughts:

At this moment in time we were on the top of English football for the first time since 1963, and we knew that if Arsenal’s defence could perform like ours can we would remain in that place for the next two weeks after which we could go further clear when we play Manchester United.

And so it was a great day for the Planet.!!!!!!!!!!

Player Performance

Flowers: Adequate= very good

Rowett: As above

Elliott:. Really good.

Taggart: Struggled, looked injured but stuck at it.

Impey: Very quiet, concentrated on defence.

Davidson: As above.

Lennon: Tried hard to smother a very lively Sunderland midfield. Played his best game of the season so far.

Eadie: Very effective, versatile too.

Savage: Tumultuous boyo.

Akinbiyi: Not too bad - not missed when he went off.

Cresswell: As above

Subs:

Guppy: Came on for Eadie with 1 min to play.

Oakes: Came on for Creswell

Gilchrist:

Benjamin: Came on for Akinbiyi, physical if a little cumbersome too often off side.

Royce:

I’d like to see us going in for a couple of top quality players while we’re up at the top. I fear we’re a good team that has an identifiable problem - scoring goals.