Five wins on the bounce and into the next round of the cup! ?⚫

If we never play on a pitch like that again, it will be too soon. A severe slope, potholes, humps and bumps everywhere made playing any sort of football incredibly difficult. It certainly wasn’t a day for trying to play out from the back, and we had to adapt our approach accordingly.

Sunderland are a newly formed side who are still learning the game, but they brought plenty of energy, intensity and physicality. They looked to play directly from front to back, with their number 10 looking to get on the ball and make things happen. It was always going to be a physical battle.

We started sloppily, particularly in our own half, and were punished when a mix-up in our box gifted Sunderland the opening goal. We made a tactical adjustment at the back, moving Raman to left-back and bringing Nathan into centre-back, where he put in an excellent shift alongside Michael.

We struggled to get Donald into the game against a big, quick and physical Sunderland back four, and there wasn’t much opportunity to build any meaningful football. However, we responded well to going behind and got ourselves back into the game when Michael confidently converted a penalty following a handball in the Sunderland box. 1-1 at half-time.

With the slope now in our favour, the plan was simple: get the ball forward, compete for second balls and keep the game in Sunderland’s half. Max Johnson was tasked with keeping their number 10 quiet, and we looked to make the most of our territorial advantage.

We took the lead in the second half, although we’ll have to confirm the goalscorer, before another sloppy moment allowed Sunderland to level things up with a decent finish from the edge of the box. Sunderland then moved 3-2 ahead, but the response was immediate. Donald found the net to make it 3-3, showing good character to get us back on level terms.

The second half wasn’t without its drama. A clear penalty appeal in the opening minutes went against us, and our protests went too far. That meant playing the remainder of the match with ten men, forcing us to reorganise and move to three at the back to maintain our shape.

Despite the disadvantage, the lads continued to battle. Ollie made an excellent interception at 3-3, while Amir produced a terrific effort that struck the crossbar. Chances were limited as the game wore on, but we managed to keep Sunderland at bay and grind out the draw. Getting to full-time at 3-3 with ten men was a credit to the team’s resilience.

Penalties: Cool heads prevail

Straight to penalties, with Rutherford taking the second kick in the shootout.

Ollie got us off to a fantastic start, saving Sunderland’s opening penalty with his feet and diverting it over the bar. Michael stepped up and confidently converted ours to put us 1-0 ahead.

Sunderland scored their second, before Max Billingham calmly dispatched his penalty. Sunderland then missed again, giving us the opportunity to take control. Amir struck the post with our third, but Sunderland failed to capitalise, sending their next effort over the bar.

Donald stepped up for our fourth and made no mistake, finding the bottom corner to seal a 3-1 penalty shootout victory and send Rutherford through to the next round!

Really pleased with the lads’ battling qualities today. The conditions made it almost impossible to play the football we normally want to play, so we had to adapt, go more direct and compete. It wasn’t pretty, but cup football isn’t always pretty.

Man of the Match: Nathan ?

An excellent performance at centre-back. Nathan covered the ground brilliantly, won plenty of headers and remained composed on the ball despite the challenging conditions. A thoroughly deserved Man of the Match.

Amir was excellent again in the second half, showing real composure in midfield, winning tackles and competing for headers. He should be proud of the way he’s playing in that role. I know he can sometimes feel nervous about it, but he really doesn’t need to be. He’s an excellent player and is growing into the position.

Max Johnson worked tirelessly and did a great job carrying out his defensive responsibilities, while Michael was solid again at the back and confidently converted his penalty. Credit to the rest of the lads, too, who all put in a shift when we needed them.

Five wins on the bounce, a cup tie negotiated in difficult circumstances and another step forward.

Next round, here we come! ?⚫