On This Day (18th April 2004): Sunderland lose out to buoyant Baggies!

18/04/2024 07:00

Sunderland's desperate hopes of earning a spot in the top two of the Championship were dashed when they conceded a goal in the final minute of the game against fellow promotion hopefuls West Brom.

Before this game, Mick McCarthy had already openly admitted that a victory was the minimal and only requirement from this game against West Brom at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland had been in the play offs for the majority of the season but if they wanted to reach loftier ambitions such as an automatic position, they had to pick up a victory against Gary Megson's side who were sitting pretty in the automatics.

This was a big game for the home side where the onus was on them to be on the front foot and create opportunities.

Megson set his stall out, stacking the bench with his attacking options and the starting eleven with solid players with determination to absorb any pressure thrown their way.

In truth, Megson did a job on us where despite having all the possession in the game, we struggled completely to make any opportunities of substance.

Despite constant probing, Sunderland were unable to find a way through and failed to force a shot on target in the first half.

This led to many situations where we were caught on the counter attack by the away side who had quick players on the transition.

Sunderland were nearly caught at the back when, in a rare sortie upfield, Scott Dobie broke the off side trap but blazed a right-footed shot high and wide.

That was as good as it got in the first half and with McCarthy aware that he would have to up the ante, he brought on Kevin Kyle as a third striker in the hope that the big Scot could create an opportunity for the home side.

Though he didn't score, his impact was almost instant.

He immediately set up a first shot on target, a looping Carl Robinson volley easily saved by Russell Hoult and fizzed a shot wide himself.

West Brom was resolute in defence with Sean Gregan particularly impressing at the back. Phil Babb went close with a header but unfortunately, that was the best we could muster in front of a Stadium of Light crowd who were getting more and more restless.

If one thought they were restless at 0-0, it got worse in added time when we were caught on the break after pouring forward in search of a winner.

Dyer broke down the left flank from inside his own half, and with the Sunderland defence at sixes and sevens, played in Koumas for the winning goal which sent West Brom 12 points clear of their hosts.

And that was that. McCarthy's men would have to settle for the play offs whilst Megson could almost smell automatic promotion with just a few games left.

Sunderland: Poom, McCartney, Babb, Breen, Williams, Arca, Robinson, Whitley, Oster, Tommy Smith, Byfield. Subs: Kyle, Stewart, Thornton, Bjorklund, Myhre.

West Brom: Hoult, Moore, Gaardsoe, Gregan, Chambers, Johnson, Robinson, Kinsella, Clement, Dobie, Horsfield. Subs: Murphy, Koumas, Dyer, Hughes, Hulse.

Referee: A Leake (Lancashire).