Draw Specialists Share The Points Yet Again

By CCFC Sid
December 11 2003

A watching TV audience saw a fairly entertaining match, with Steve Froggatt on duty in the commentary box - a strange choice, as this was the fixture that saw his ended ended by a savage challenge from Nicky Summerbee a few season ago....

CCFC created a number of chances early on, with Poom thwarting Suffo only two minutes in, a Doyle effort (Which really should have been CCFC's opening goal) saved well by Poom soon after, and a 30 yard effort from Suffo going just over the bar. CCFC were made to pay for these misses only minutes later....

On seven minutes, a feeble, Beckham-esque non-challenge by Suffo, saw Arca storm up the pitch unchallenged. He released the impressive Downing, who beat Pead with embarrassing ease before firing under Ward in the CCFC goal. Too easy yet again....

Great work from Suffo set up Joachim after 12 minutes, but his shot was again blocked by Poom, and that miss again almost proved costly a minute later as Sunderland broke up the pitch at speed, but, fortunately for CCFC, a free header was planted straight at Ward. More chances were wasted on 13 and 15 minutes, with a Warnock cross being met by Doyle, who was again thwarted by Poom, and McAllister wasted a glorious chance when being given the freedom of the penalty area, only to dally on the ball and allow a Sunderland defender to clear the danger.

CCFC finally got some reward on 20 minutes, with Poom clearly bringing Joachim down, and the referee pointing to the spot immediately. Poom was yellow carded for the offence, and McAllister dispatched the penalty, sending Poom the wrong way.

McAllister had two more efforts around the half hour mark, with one effort threatening the corner flag, and the second shot going far closer, with Poom holding onto the ball. Soon after, it was his pass that released Joachim, who looked to round Poom in the Sunderland goal, but the Estonian stopper saved well yet again.

A fine Warnock effort was deflected for a corner on the stroke of half-time.

Twenty three seconds into the second half, Steve Staunton did his best Johnnie Wilkinson impression, sending the ball way, way over the Sunderland bar when in a decent position.

After fifty-four minutes Warnock was bundled over on the edge of the area, having got goal-side of his man, but the referee never even bothered showing the offender a yellow card, let alone the red some referee's might have brandished. The Sunderland wall to defend the free-kick was clearly only about six yards away from the ball, with the referee counting out nine steps and moving them back accordingly - bizarre, as I always thought it was supposed to be ten! The free-kick, typically of CCFC, was abysmal anyway, and a decent chance to threaten was wasted....

A Pead daisy-cutter tested Poom again in the Sunderland goal after 60 minutes, and seconds later Joachim left the pitch to be replaced by Morrell. With JJ went CCFC's best chance of a goal (Or at least another penalty!!). His replacement did have a chance to give CCFC the lead after 68 minutes, after a cracking pass from Safri looked to have put him through. McCartney made a fine challenge, and put the ball out for a corner.

CCFC were clearly tiring towards the end of the match, and spent periods merely chasing shadows, before a crunching challenge from Safri on Healy left the former CCFC loan-man flat-out. The noise from the challenge could be heard as far away as the corner of the Main Stand, and it was no surprise that Healy left the field on a stretcher - applauded as he went by CCFC supporters.

The game fizzled out after that, though CCFC did create one or two more half chances, but yet again the match finished as a draw....