Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Luton Town FC – Saturday 13th May 2023 - KO 17:30

I just said this to my mate. Ekwah quickly becoming my key player.

 

Well what a feckin great birthday pressie that was..

 

‘Happy Birthday’

 

No tears this week but we are absolutely going up, cov/boro do your worst it’s not enough WE ARE SUNDERLAND

 

happy birthday

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4:15am, should be going back to bed but i'm too pumped

 

Tried following this in a tiny Bistro on North Uist signal kept dropping out knew it was 0-1 then it’s just come back up at the final whistle
Great result this team never gives in well done one and all great end to a very eventful day for me and her indoors

 

F**King tremendous

 

Him n Neil look a class partnership, both have been immense last 2 games - finally a top draw CM partnership to build around

 

i hope dem pumps arn't stinkers mate

 

Even if we go 1-0 down, im now confident we will score at least one so no need to panick.
When they scored first today i was just, meh!
This team and management are just magnificent.

 

Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland 2-1 Luton - Black Cats take the first leg lead!
An unbelievable team performance from Sunderland saw them win after going behind in the first leg of the playoffs. Here’s how Andy rated the Lads!


Anthony Patterson: 7/10
Barely any real saves to make but had safe hands when he was called into action, kicking wasn’t great early on but that was more due to the visitors smothering us.

Lynden Gooch (C): 7/10
Flew into a challenge near the half way line in the first half, got lucky that Hume bailed him out but stuck at his task and was combative on the left side of defence.

Trai Hume: 8/10
Did really well to get himself into the way of a dangerous shot in the first half, defended well throughout and then popped up with the winner with a really well taken header.

Luke O’Nien: 7/10
Gave away a dangerous free kick in the first half after a clumsy block on the corner of the box but led the defence really well.

Dan Neil: 7/10
Had to work really hard in the middle of the pitch, especially in the first half as Luton pressed hard but won his midfield battles.

Pierre Ekwah: 8/10
A colossus in the middle of the pitch, tried to overplay once in the first half deep inside his own half but broke often through the middle, showed nice footwork and hassled Luton whenever they had the ball.

Patrick Roberts: 7/10
Created the first chance of the game when he cut inside and tested the goalkeeper and he won the free kick for our opener after he was brought down following a good one-two with Gelhardt. Had another shot deflected wide following an electric run and worked his socks off all game up and down the right flank.

Amad Diallo: 7/10
Unbelievable strike for the equaliser and just when we needed it too. Not his best game overall, especially with Luton keen to kick him out of the game, but kept at it for 90 minutes.

Jack Clarke: 7/10
A good battle with Drameh down the left wing throughout the game and ended up getting the better of him for the winner as he placed the cross onto Hume’s head.

Alex Pritchard: 7/10
Got an assist for the opener when he rolled the free kick to Amad and almost got another after his jinking run and then cross found Gelhardt but the striker could only fire wide.

Joe Gelhardt: 7/10
Worked really hard and caused the Luton defence problems with his hassling, used his body well to turn defenders and never stopped running. Could maybe have had a couple of goals but Roberts shot squirmed past him and then he could only steer a Pritchard cross wide.

Substitute
Niall Huggins: 6/10
Came on for Roberts and helped us see the game out, won one good header and was quick to burst forward.

Abdoullah Ba: 6/10
Gave the ball away cheaply near the half way line after he came on very late for Pritchard.

Man of the Match: Pierre Ekwah
This could easily have gone to Hume but Ekwah was so good in the middle of the pitch, covered a massive amount of ground, won the ball a lot after getting stuck into Luton players and was always keen to break forward to start an attack. Very calm in possession too.

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Photo by George Wood/Getty Images

 

That singing was better than at Wembley!

 

Take the win. Need to be more physcial away from home.

Gooch at centre back is mind-blowing to me.

Gelhardt was terrible too. Needs to sort it.

 

Some character from the lads after getting bullied first half. Ekwah is going to be some player.

Still think we'll score down there

HTL

 

Well ****ing done Trai Hume btw. Fully deserved lad. He's been immense since getting into the side.

 

Gelhardt was nowhere near terrible. The RR summing up is spot on:

Joe Gelhardt: 7/10
Worked really hard and caused the Luton defence problems with his hassling, used his body well to turn defenders and never stopped running. Could maybe have had a couple of goals but Roberts shot squirmed past him and then he could only steer a Pritchard cross wide.

 

7/10 for O'Nein is very generous. I thought he was really poor today. Reading the forum yesterday you'd think he was Beckenbauer 2.0. He absolutely is a credit to himself and the club and it 100% is attitude over ability. If you had to pick replaceable players in that team...he's top 3 if not 2. I love him by the way but all the 'he can play raking balls from the back left and right...he can not do that.

 

I am beginning to think you could injure another 4 or 5 and we would still find a way to get it done.

I honestly dont know how this lot are doing it. They found a way to stop their game after about 25 mins. Make no mistake the best side won tonight. The problems are all for Luton tuesday. Hitting the high balls is an option and we will find that tough, but they have seen how easy we get through them tonight. Puzzle for edwards.