Sunderland 2 West Ham United 1

Mar 31 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

ROY Keane likes to minimise his responsibilities as Sunderland manager but one role he has added to his job description is that of history teacher.

It was a lesson the Irishman learned a little over 24 hours earlier and his use of it inspired a potentially-pivotal chapter in the Black Cats story.

One of Keane’s first tasks at the Stadium of Light was to plaster it and the training ground with reminders of the club’s impressive heritage. As Saturday underlined, though, unpleasant memories are often more effective.

In his Press briefing the previous day Keane was surprised to learn the Wearsiders had gone 126 Premier League matches without consecutive victories. Having watched a well below-par first half from his side, the recently-gleaned fact came in handy. “At half-time the manager gave us a history lesson,” Kieran Richardson revealed after his side’s comeback to beat West Ham United.

“He reminded us it had been 126 games since this club had won successive games at this level.

“He just wanted it to sink in. It was as passionate as I’ve ever seen the manager at half-time. He wanted to get his message across.”

He did. Sunderland dominated the second half against a Hammers side who could not match their hunger. Andy Reid did not hit the heights of his Villa Park masterclass but the way he calmly guided a 96th-minute volley into the net guaranteed he will never have to buy a pint on Wearside again.

Saturday was another yo-yo day but one which suggested the club’s time as a yo-yo club might – just might – be coming to an end. With Bolton beating Arsenal and Sunderland trailing to the goal they gifted Freddie Ljungberg, things were looking grim. Even Kenwyne Jones’ equaliser was quickly followed by Birmingham City’s opener at home to Manchester City. Cue Keane.

“I had to remind them at half-time what a significant game it was,” he recalled. “Sometimes you have to remind footballers where they’re at, and that this is a big club and a big season in the history of this football club.

“This is a proper yo-yo club and they needed reminding. They reacted like the good bunch of players they are. They were dead positive when they were down and I thought we deserved the victory. “Back-to-back wins gets the monkey off our backs. We want to make sure we stay up and build this club, build a proper football club, where the club literally runs itself.”

Keane’s words provided the determination, fate provided the luck. Sunderland had their chance to win the game 15 minutes before they did. Jones controlled Jonny Evans’ long ball on his back and charged down the inside-left channel before teeing up Daryl Murphy. Yards out, with Robert Green dragged towards Jones, it was an empty net Murphy shot over.

That Reid got the chance to redeem him arose from West Ham’s misfortune. Three players – one a substitute – had already gone off injured when Ljungberg chased Danny Collins down the line and fell to the ground clutching his hamstring.

West Ham had to play with ten 10 for not only the remaining three minutes of normal time but a minimum of five more for the injuries. It was seconds into the sixth when Anton Ferdinand headed Carlos Edwards’ cross towards Reid.

The playmaker had twice given the ball away uncharacteristically in added time as Sunderland pushed for a deserved winner. The second was so bad he held his head while getting into position to try to retrieve the ball. But Reid’s relief was nothing compared to that of Murphy, who had sat on the bench with a face like thunder after coincidentally being substituted seconds after his miss. The striker, who until then had interchanged well with Michael Chopra on the right, headed straight for the goalscorer at the final whistle.

Reid and Keane’s were not the only crucial contributions. West Ham had scored after Nyron Nosworthy was slow to close down Ljungberg and hit the post after Dean Ashton opened up his body for a shot against the upright when Craig Gordon produced an excellent save to tip over Carlton Cole’s curling shot.

But it was Reid’s moment of magic which has the best chance of making it into Sunderland’s history book.