Sunderland’s promotion campaign was staying on course. Just. After a draw at Preston in the face of mounting criticism from supporters, the lads took on Brentford at Roker Park, searching for a much-needed three points – via a relatively convincing win – to solidify our position at the top of the table.
Results hadn’t been bad – although a Sherpa Van Trophy at the hands of Hartlepool hadn’t gone down well – but performances hadn’t been overly impressive, with Denis Smith’s team grinding out wins rather than demolishing teams as they had done earlier in the season.
As the clash against Steve Perryman’s Brentford approached, Smith was beset by injury and illness concerns, with Marco Gabbiadini ruled out with what was first thought to be a recurrence of a groin injury, but what subsequently turned out to be a glandular problem after an infection set into a knee cut sustained on Preston’s artificial pitch.
Eric Gates was absent from the club having been laid low with influenza, as had a number of other players who were coming out of the other end.
> Gordon Armstrong, Reuben Agboola and Iain Hesford were all able to train yesterday but they all looked awful when the session was over.
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> Paul Atkinson and Richard Ord are a bit better but did not train, so until I know who is available I am not in a position to name the team.
In line to start against Brentford should Gates and Gabbiadini not make it was 17 year old youth team forward John Hepple. The youngster, who hailed from Middlesbrough, had impressed Denis Smith in training, and it was reported that Hepple would be making his debut alongside Keith Bertschin should neither of the G Force make it.
The highly rated, slight youngster was – unfortunately for him – not listed on the team sheet when the lines ups were announced before the game; Gates had emerged from his sick bed to partner Bertschin. But it was another youngster – Gary Owers – himself returning from a five week injury lay off, who opened the scoring.
Owers had made his professional debut in the reverse fixture on the season’s opening weekend, and on this occasion the 19 year old scored with a header just before the half hour mark to put Sunderland into the lead.
Sunderland had already exerted pressure on the Brentford defence – a clear penalty for a foul on Armstrong had been turned down, and a less clear shout for handball had also been met with a resounding no. Bertschin had also tested the Brentford keeper Gary Phillips, while Owers had headed narrowly wide, too.
It hadn’t been one way traffic, however. MacPhail had cleared from just under his own bar, while a superb tackle from Agboola denied future England winger an almost certain goal.
The breakthrough came after a well worked free kick between Paul Atkinson and Steve Doyle saw the local winger work his way to the byline and cross for Bertschin to flick on, and Owers to stoop to head home.
Bertschin, Atkinson and Owers were causing the Brentford defence problems – a welcome sight for the home crowd given Gabbiadini’s absence – and just before half time Bertschin made it 2-0, striding through onto Gates’ pass to put the ball home, via a deflection from a Brentford defender.
Owers should have made it three before the break, but elected to go round the advancing goalkeeper rather than lob the ball home. Young defender Roger Joseph – who went on to have a long career with Wimbledon – was able to clear.
In the second half, Sunderland went for the kill, but found Phillips in excellent form, saving from Bertschin and Gates, while Bertschin saw another effort cleared off the line, and Gates’ follow up saved. Bennett headed wide, and Brentford almost put through their own net from a dangerous Frank Gray corner.
In the closing stages Brentford came close, but Hesford preserved his clean sheet, and Sunderland emerged 2-0 winners, to maintain first place in the division. And Smith, who’d been presented with a gallon of whisky for winning the Third Division Manager of the Month for January was proud of how his team had navigated a major challenge.
> I’ve never seen so many players completely drained after a match. They’re all sitting around spluttering and coughing. Even players like Gary Bennett, Gary Owers and Steve Doyle who were not affected have now gone down with the bug.
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> Paul Atkinson struggled on for as long as he could, but we finally had to take him off after an hour. He just couldn’t go on any longer. Obviously, they are all shattered, and I have told them all to get off home and not report back until Tuesday.
As for John Hepple, he never did play a professional game for the lads. He was released at the end of the following season, and while he did make a couple of appearances on loan at Hartlepool, that’s all the records suggest. Sadly, he passed away in 2008, aged just 37, after a fall at home, apparently suffering a heart attack.