SUNDERLAND 2 CITY 4
League Division 1
14th March 1989
attendance 16,101
Scorers
City White(26 & 44), Gleghorn(35), Morley(88)
Sunderland Gabbiadini(18), Gates(75)
Ref G Aplin
City Dibble, Taggart, Hinchcliffe, Gayle, Megson, Redmond, White, Morley, Gleghorn, McNab, Oldfield – subs Moulden(unused), Biggins(unused)
Sunderland Norman, Bennett, Gray, Agboola, McPhail, Doyle, Owen, Armstrong, Gates, Gabbiadini, Pascoe – subs Cullen(45), Hauser(71)
FROM ‘THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS’ AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 13TH MARCH 1999
City travelled to Sunderland after only one defeat in 11 League games, a narrow 0-1 reverse at Watford, and had enjoyed six straight victories in the first two months of the year.
Marco Gabbiadini opened the scoring for the home side after 18 minutes. Having put one cross from Colin Pascoe wide, he then scored from a header, with an assist from Gary Owers in the build-up.
The lead was short-lived as David White converted Andy Hinchcliffe’s free kick, also with a header, eight minutes later. Ten minutes before the interval, Hinchcliffe’s accuracy with another free kick resulted in a headed goal by Nigel Gleghorn and, after a near-miss by Oldfield on his debut, David White made it 3-1 direct from a corner.
Pascoe had a shot cleared off the City line by Steve Redmond ten minutes after the break, then a header from substitute Tony Cullen bounced to safety off Dibble’s knees. “Whitey” missed the chance of a hat:-trick and the Wearsiders twice went close before reducing the deficit. This time
Gabbiadini flicked on a Cullen corner to find Eric Gates for an effortless header.
The Blues then scored a. fourth through the previous game’s hat-trick hero, Morley, and were at the top of the Second Division.
Machin said afterwards: “I was delighted with our performance, and every player in every department did well for us. Although there is a long way to go, we have to be happy with our situation.”