Source: Northern_Echo
Sunderland 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2
CERTAINLY where the Stadium of Light is concerned presently, records are like buses. You wait ages for one to be broken then they all come at once.[LNB] Sunderland's admirable unbeaten league home record, which had stretched back to last May, was brought to a December end by Blackpool - and now their Wearside form, which had become the bedrock of the Black Cats' push for a Europa League place, looks to be on shifting sands with their latest home defeat, at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.[LNB] For Spurs it was the ending of almost a decade of hurt in Sunderland. They last tasted victory in September 2001, and the North Londoners' trips to the Stadium of Light have, every year, been a decent spectacle for supporters if not ending in their desired result.[LNB] While Sunderland started brightly, taking the lead through Asamoah Gyan on 11 minutes and boasting sprightly attacks from new signing Stephane Sessegnon and - by comparison - long-serving midfielder Kieran Richardson, they were unable to make much of their intelligent interplay count for anything meaningful, and Spurs punished their hosts.[LNB] Michael Dawson's 44th minute goal restored parity, and Niko Kranjcar scored the winner for the second game in a row - it was the Croatian who sealed Spurs' 2-1 win against Bolton last Saturday - to send Tottenham up to fourth in the Premier League table.[LNB] Sunderland are now without a win at the Stadium of Light since New Year's Day, but manager Steve Bruce is not overly concerned at the loss of form.[LNB] He said: "We played some good stuff in the first half going forward, I think we are a threat with Malbranque and Richardson, and Sessegnon and Gyan. Asamoah has sprang to life in the last few weeks.[LNB] "You could say we were a bit naive but to improve, I think we've got to play the way we're trying to play. If we're defending set pieces better we'd have more points."[LNB] When Tottenham travelled to Sunderland last season, they conceded three penalties and three goals in an end-to-end battle. When you say "good advert for the Premier League", you could have done worse than watching a DVD of that fixture.[LNB] And while Saturday's renewal of the tie was certainly not as exciting, there were spells of football from both sides that helped the neutral to understand why both sides have pitched their battles in the upper echelons of the Premier League this season.[LNB] Predictably, both sides started apace, with Spurs midfielder Sandro blazing over with just four minutes on the clock, while six minutes later Sunderland's pressure from a Jordan Henderson free-kick saw Steed Malbranque steer a shot towards Heurelho Gomes, but the intervention of Stephane Sessegnon brought an offside decision.[LNB] But a minute later, the Black Cats were celebrating what turned out to be their sole goal of the afternoon. Kieran Richardson, darting about the midfield, swung in a low cross which Asamoah Gyan touched, turned and fired home in one swift movement.[LNB] Michael Dawson had got stuck between Gyan and Sessegnon, chiefly caused by the temporary absence of William Gallas to change a pair of boots as bandaging on his ankle was causing discomfort.[LNB] Such discomfort, one imagines, would be nothing compared to the dressing-down expected from Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.[LNB] Sunderland brimming with confidence, the Black Cats' attacking blade of Gyan, Sessegnon, Richardson and Malbranque were too hot for Spurs to handle at times. But while the flicks and tricks were easy on the eye, there was a fear - ultimately realised - that a lack of a cutting edge in the very final third would come back to haunt the hosts.[LNB] John Mensah had received the nod ahead of Anton Ferdinand on Saturday after fielding five defenders at Stoke, and he vindicated Bruce's decision to opt for the Ghanaian on 43 minutes when he expertly took Benoit Assou-Ekotto's cross off the toes of Jermain Defoe to concede a corner.[LNB] But it was from that flag-kick which led to Spurs' equaliser. Steven Pienaar who had, up until that point, done nothing to warrant his inclusion at the expense of the rested Aaron Lennon, swept in a cross which Dawson rose highest to meet. Craig Gordon was unsighted by Gallas, and will have been disappointed to see Dawson's header squirm underneath the Scots' body and into the net.[LNB] Bruce said of the goal: "That today - the first goal - was the turning point. If we'd gone in at half time ahead buzzing instead of flat, it would have been different. For me the first goal changes the game, that was the disappointing thing.[LNB] "It's something you can't work on, concentration. It should be the easiest part of the game. Titus played fantastically well until he switches off, loses his man, it's a big frustration."[LNB] Sunderland faded fast in the second half. The ten minutes following the restart were breathless, but chiefly comprised of Tottenham striving to gain ascendancy in a game they were once losing.[LNB] Phil Bardsley cleared off the line on 52 minutes from Gallas' hooked effort after Defoe's touch on, and a minute later, Malbranque shot straight after Gomes after good work by Gyan.[LNB] But it was Kranjcar who was celebrating when Mensah's defensive header from Sandro's cross was volleyed home with aplomb by the Croat - a goal worthy of winning any game.[LNB] In reply, Sunderland went close through Muntari on 70 minutes and Richardson's 79th minute shot hit the top of the crossbar but a breakthrough would not come, and Spurs held on for victory.[LNB] Bruce said: "We need to win a game again - we know we've got Everton and Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City coming up. If we keep playing like we did in the first half and sharpen up our defensive play in terms of set pieces, I'm sure we can take some points. [LNB] "We must make sure we hang on in there. We could easily have three or four points - instead we have none."[LNB]
