Stoke City flummoxed by Black Cats as Delap debuts

It’s Sunderland who look like promotion contenders as they fought hard for their 1-0 win at Stoke. 9 yellow cards and a goal at half time against the run of play saw Stoke overrun again. They’re 21st and barely deserve to even be there. They huffed & puffed and threw on every striker available but none could seriously dent the Sunderland defence. Liam Delap had a decent debut before fading. But where does that leave Stoke and Michael O’Neill? Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:

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WELL, the long awaited arrival of Rory’s talented son Liam Delap has finally come about (even Berahino didn’t take this long!). What’s more, he’s thrown in the deep end starting for Dwight Gayle (he of tight hamstring fame), with unproven Gavin Kilkenny replacing hapless Sam Clucas (who needs to rediscover his previous mojo). Sunderland bring ex-favourite defender Danny ton-of-bricks Batth, previous Stoke loan forward Jack Clarke, and a tall striker Ross Stewart (who supposedly/allegedly was spurned by Stoke for not having an appropriate gait!?!).

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4.20 Delap tears after a ball like he’s on fire, beats off the defender like Tyrese would, and fires a shot that ricochets away. He certainly looks a lot fitter than the other players, in way of speed at least.

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7.10 As Cirkin brings down Kilkenny, Lewis Baker reminds the ref that it’s two poor challenges for Den Cirkin already. Amazingly, the ref concurs and has a quick word with Dennis. Sunderland fans who have almost been out-sung by Potters fans, now claim their presence in a library. Odd bunch.

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10.27 Jacob Brown brilliantly brings down a over-shoulder pass, and hits a beaut that’s tipped over by keeper Tony Patterson.

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13.30 After Delap is felled, and O’Nien yellowed, Baker’s free kick brings out another save from Patterson. Very physical game, but Stoke more than up to it.

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17.20 Another yellow (Mayete) as Baker is felled badly. He is livid. The subsequent free kick is a pre-planned, but Delap can’t get on the end of it.

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23.20 Mountain-sized striker Ellis Simms strides through, blasts into the side-netting, then throws his toys out of the pram for not getting a corner! Really?

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28.19 As Sunderland have a couple of corners, it’s interesting to see the familiar Batth stride as he returns to base. Brown and Delap combine, and put Patterson to the test again, and Delap even looks like he’s fouled in the box. The ref’s letting play go on a lot, and the tackles then start to get a bit fruity. Kilkenny is down for a time, felled by Simms. Gavin is given a clean shirt, so it’s a nose injury with plenty of blood. Stoke play with 10 men until they stem the flow.

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37.23 Delap again outruns a defender, shrugging him off the ball. Then shrugs him off again! He’s a real character! Another yellow card. This time for Embleton.

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45+2 0-1 !! WHAT?? Jack Clarke gets away from Fosu to set up a beautiful pass for Ross Stewart to plant in the corner, despite Bursik getting a hand to it. It just had to be those two!! It’s there first real attack.

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45+3 After being fouled (and nothing given) Connor Taylor gets a yellow for dissent! Who’d have thought.

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HT Reds 0 Reds 1 Unbelievable.

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45.01 Sunderland replace two of their yellowed players, before Liam Delap is yellowed for a challenge. Then one of the subbed players (Wright) is yellowed for cynically pulling back Brown. Jacob isn’t the only one who’s furious.

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Attendance 21230, with a healthy Sunderland following.

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58.10 Wright almost gets a 2nd yellow before Jagielka sweet talks himself out of a yellow himself! But it’s Brown who gets the yellow. So Gayle comes on for Brown.

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62.40 Jack Clarke pulls back Fosu, and then does an extended bewildered shrug as he can’t believe he’s been yellowed!

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68.01 Tyrese and Clucas on for Kilkenny and Smallbone. Suspect Tyrese and Gayle will alternate playing up front with Delap.

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74.01 Sunderland manager Alex Neil blows a fuse as Clucas dribbles the ball along the touchline, keeping it in (not according to Neil). Meanwhile Wright-Phillips comes on for Delap.

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79.20 Gayle gets on the end of a desperate Bursik clearance, but it just flies over. Not happening.

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81.30 As Pritchard joins the yellow team, Sunderland lead on cards by 6-3! Hard to believe how much ref Oliver Langford has tried to allow this game to flow.

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87.40 Simms sets up Stewart, who surely can’t miss, rounding Bursik, but Jagielka scares him so much he hooks it wide.

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FT Reds 0 Reds 1, Stoke lose again.