DION DUBLIN must have thought he had made the perfect start to 1997 when he rose majestically to head home his fourth goal in as many matches after only 10 minutes of Coventry's Premiership at Highfield Road yesterday.
But exactly half an hour later Dublin's new year turned into one of despair as he was sent off by referee Graham Poll for a needless and irresponsible offence against Sunderland's lively teenage striker Michael Bridges.
Coventry were looking to better a record that has stood for 27 years by securing a fifth successive league victory. But it was Sunderland who scored first after only six minutes. David Kelly's centre from the right touchline was cleverly knocked back by John Mullin - making his first Premiership start - into the path of Bridges, who finished with a clinical right footed volley.
Within four minutes Coventry were level when Gary McAllister overcame the treacherous conditions near the corner flag and put over the cross to Dublin who beat the visiting keeper Lionel Perez with a strong header.
Sunderland's lead was restored just seven minutes later when Mullin, who appeared to be going nowhere, was tripped in the area by Liam Daish, and Steve Agnew stepped forward to convert the penalty. According to Strachan that decision made Daish angry, and was the reason why he atoned with the equaliser in the 28th minute. Again McAllister was the provider, the Scotland midfielder's free kick from the right finding the on rushing Daish whose power in the air left both the Sunderland defenders and keeper Peres helpless.
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