00:00Despite an ultimately poor previous campaign for Sunderland, the 1-0 victory over Leeds at the Stadium of Light was certainly a highlight.
00:08The fixture is one with happy memories for those on Wearside, because in 1973, a goal from Ian Porterfield saw 2nd Division Sunderland defeat 1st Division Leeds United to win the FA Cup.
00:20The victory is still talked about in Sunderland, although fans now believe it should be a Premier League fixture.
00:26I've had this discussion with Michael Bowes quite a lot, and I think Leeds are about the same level as Leeds.
00:32They're a huge club, and these two teams should be in the Premier League, it's as simple as that.
00:37Definitely.
00:38Bob Stokeborough, 1973, that was a great game, even though I wasn't born then. I've seen him bat many a times.
00:45I was only nine. It was unbelievable.
00:50I was sitting on my mum's sewing machine, a zinger, and as soon as I scored, I jumped up and, lo and behold, I spilled all the table.
01:03But it was fantastic.
01:07On to the game itself, and it was Sunderland who burst out of the traps and scored with just eight minutes played,
01:13when Denis Sirkin's initial effort was saved by Elan Mellier, allowing Chris Rigg to tap home into an empty net.
01:19This, though, sparked Leeds into life, and they quickly grew in confidence, putting pressure on the Sunderland back line.
01:25Their attacks were soon rewarded, as an inch-perfect ball from Wilfred Nonto picked out Joel Perrault,
01:31who simply could not miss with his header in the box.
01:34The game soon opened up, with both sides going close as the half went on.
01:39Nonto fired over for Leeds, before Joe Benningham saw two efforts go just wide within minutes of each other towards the end of the half.
01:46The second half continued in the same vein, but it was Leeds who hit the front,
01:50as Junior Firpo charged forward into the box, played a quick one-two, before slotting into the bottom corner.
01:57Sunderland searched for an equaliser, sometimes overworking their attacks in desperation to be level.
02:03It didn't look as if a leveller was going to arrive as Leeds ran the clock down,
02:07but in the last seconds of stoppage time, Elan Melier let an Alan Brown dinked ball slip through his hands and into the net, causing utter pandemonium.
02:16Regis Lebris then praised his players and fans, whilst Daniel Farker was in disbelief.
02:22The energy of the team was always here, and we tried until the end, and I liked this energy.
02:29I think the fans can feel that even if it's not perfect, sometimes they deserve that goal and that scenario.
02:39To lose this point in this way is heartbreaking, it's horrendous, it's so, so sad and disappointing for our Leeds.
02:47I have to say I feel for my Leeds because they've done today, to this moment, more or less everything really right after such a difficult time.
02:54I feel for them, for our supporters, because we were again excellent.
Comments