Source: Team_Talk
Bendtner glad to open account
icklas Bendtner was happy to take his first goal for Sunderland however it came after helping to ease the pressure on manager Steve Bruce.[LNB] The on-loan Arsenal striker's 24th-minute effort sparked a comeback which eventually saw the Black Cats claim a 2-2 draw with West Brom after enduring a nightmare start to a game they could not afford to lose at the end of a traumatic week.[LNB]For Bendtner, the fact that his shot was deflected past Baggies keeper Ben Foster by defender Gareth McAuley's out-stretched leg after Sebastian Larsson had back-heeled the ball into his path did not matter one bit after a four-game wait to open his account in a red and white shirt.[LNB]The 23-year-old Dane said: "I was very delighted. I knew Seb was going to drag it back because he had seen me, but as I saw the tackle coming in, I thought 'Oh no', because it was difficult and I had to shoot first touch.[LNB]"But then it deflected in and I was very pleased because it's always special to get off the mark no matter how it goes in.[LNB]"I was a bit unlucky against Norwich, but then again, it was always going to come at some point.[LNB]"If you keep putting yourself in the box and keep getting in amongst the chances, it will come for sure."[LNB]Bendtner's big moment could hardly have arrived at a better time for both he and Bruce with the latter having been subjected to calls for his head from the stands after his best-laid plans had been ripped apart within five calamitous minutes.[LNB]Just how James Morrison managed to meet Chris Brunt's fourth-minute free-kick and head home from close range was a question to which Bruce was still seeking an answer after the final whistle, and Sunderland's fortunes were to take a further turn for the worse within seconds.[LNB]Craig Gardner launched himself into a 50-50 tackle on halfway, but, to his horror, saw the ball ricochet into the path of striker Shane Long, who sped through a flat-footed home defence to fire past keeper Simon Mignolet.[LNB]The reaction from the home fans inside the stadium left Bruce in little doubt as to his standing in their estimation with yet another defeat seemingly looming.[LNB]But it was then that the players started to fight for their manager, and they were soon back on terms with a quick-fire salvo of their own.[LNB]Bendtner's initial contribution gave them hope, and it was his 26th-minute cross which allowed winger Ahmed Elmohamady also to register his first goal for the club with a towering header.[LNB]Bruce said: "All of a sudden, we needed to show a little bit of character, and I saw enough to realise that I've got a good group."[LNB]Sunderland went on to dominate much of the remainder of the game and both Wes Brown and Elmohamady might have won it for them after the break.[LNB]A point was just reward for their efforts, although less than what was required after a poor performance in defeat at Norwich on Monday and the allegations which saw defender Titus Bramble questioned by police a little more than 24 hours later.[LNB]However, Bruce, who withdrew skipper Lee Cattermole 20 minutes from time as he flirted with a costly second yellow card, was refusing to be bowed by the boos which sounded around the stadium on the final whistle.[LNB]He said: "The one thing I won't do is shy away from it. I have been given stick all my life - it just makes the resolve even bigger with me that I will prove people wrong.[LNB]"I don't what I have to. I will just remind you that Sunderland were 10th last year - that was their third-best finish in 55 years.[LNB]"It's not as if the club is winning the Champions League year in, year out."[LNB]The Baggies, like Sunderland, have now won only one of their seven Premier League games to date this season, although manager Roy Hodgson cited a tough start, which saw them face Manchester United, Chelsea and Stoke in their opening three fixtures, as a mitigating factor.[LNB]He said: "At least we could have had one point on the board, but we had zero points.[LNB]"Now we have had three away games and one home game and we have taken five points.[LNB]"We have gone to Norwich, we have gone to Swansea, we have gone to Sunderland, so I would prefer to look at it that it's going to take us longer than a month or two to make up for those zero points from three games.[LNB]"But you know that during the season, you are playing Manchester United, you are playing Chelsea and the chances are you won't get too much."
