Sunderland 1 Everton 1:A DEFLECTION and an extremely dodgy penalty ensured that an afternoon spoilt by an increasingly swirling wind did not finish goalless but no one can have departed imagining either side will be challenging for Europe soon.
While Martin O’Neill is at least slowly improving a Sunderland team which had been sliding inexorably towards relegation under Steve Bruce, David Moyes seems to be overseeing a period of stagnation at Everton.
Moyes, beneficiary of that poor penalty decision on Howard Webb’s part, saw his players begin strongly and fall behind against the run of play before gradually fading as their shortage of invention and incision in midfield highlighted a worrying dependence on dead balls.
The Everton manager agreed that the penalty – given after Leon Osman had miskicked, lost his footing and fallen over in the area and converted by Leighton Baines – should never have been awarded.
“I thought that, by the end, a draw was a fair result,” said Moyes. “But it wasn’t a penalty kick – was a terrible decision.”
“Howard Webb is a top-class referee but it’s not a great decision,” said a commendably sanguine O’Neill, who stressed that occasionally succumbing to the “human factor” is an occupational hazard.
“Howard felt there was contact, clearly there wasn’t so, obviously, it’s disappointing. It was a big incident, although I don’t attach any blame to Leon Osman, he couldn’t help falling over.”
Had Everton converted their early chances, Webb’s mistake could have proved academic. Initially stuttering, Sunderland began by granting Everton too many free headers with Tim Cahill and Louis Saha both guilty of glaring misses.
If Cahill is clearly a fading Evertonian force, Stephane Sessegnon offers O’Neill’s side some of the pace and creativity Sunderland otherwise lack and, breaking adroitly, the Benin forward danced round Sylvain Distin before setting up Jack Colback to open the scoring via a deflection off the unlucky defender.
Early in the second half it was Sunderland’s turn to feel fortune’s frown as Webb’s eyes deceived him. Evidently believing Osman was fouled by either Wes Brown or Lee Cattermole, the official pointed to the spot. As Wearsiders expressed their disgust, Baines fired the into the top corner.
Guardian Service
