Sunderland 3 – 1 Spurs

Where do I start?

This game had everything. From an amazing atmosphere served up by the hungry Sunderland faithful and the loud Spurs fans, to three penalties all in ninety minutes of action at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland have been looking forward to this game since Bent signed in the Summer and boy did he deliver! As soon as the team was announced the ball was in the back of the net. Cross in to Campbell who had a header saved by Gomes only for Bent to smash it home right down the travelling fans throats. His celebration was superb as he told the Spurs fans exactly what he thought of them (and avoided a bottle off his head in the process) to send the home fans into ecstacy.

We could not have hoped for a better start and this must have hurt Redknapp as he seen his former striker run back smiling as a new born legend for Sunderland. We played brilliantly and we had Jones, Mensah and Cana all missing.

David Meyler played alongside Cattermole and they were both terrific in breaking up the play and allowing Steeeeeed to play his own game. The amount of space Malbranque found in the first half was frightening for a team challenging the top four.

Whilst Sunderland were bombing forward they won their first of three penalties this afternoon after a blatant handball from Walker in the box. Bent stepped up and smashed the ball past Gomes but they would meet again later on.

Sunderland were playing like they were challenging for Europe and with the white hot atmosphere the game just kept getting more and more crazier by the second.

Lee Mason awarded another penalty to Sunderland as Campbell skinned Modric who left his leg out and brought the striker down inside the area.

This time Bent changed his mind and went the other way only to see Gomes parry it wide for a corner. It was a poor penalty and this allowed Spurs to re group for half-time.

Redknapp made the changes and brought on Defoe and Kranjcar and this made them more potent up front. Craig Gordon kept out Defoe on a few occasions but the England striker should have done better.

As Defoe missed the Sunderland fans taunted the away fans with ‘Are you watching Fabio’ but it was another English striker who came on who caused the main problems.

Henderson won the third and final penalty of the afternoon as Bent missed his second penalty as Gomes tipped it on to the post.

Crouch came on just after a Sunderland ‘goal’ from Anton Ferdinand was ruled off due to a very dodgy decision against Gomes. The Sunderland fans thought it was 3-0 as the scoreboard said 3-0 and Ferdinand was dancing on the pitch.

Crouch pulled one back with a neat header and this allowed Spurs back into the game. Some fans were very nervous heading into the final stages but the game was sealed with a truely magnificent goal.

The ball was crossed in deep by Henderson to the oncoming Bolo Zenden who cracked the ball in with his left into the opposite top corner.

The goal was amazing and worthy of keeping us in this league for another year.

This result puts us on 38 points and looking a lot healthier going into the final five games of the season.

What a day and what a result!