Sunderland 1, Derby Co 0

Dec 2 2007 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

ANTHONY STOKES’ late, late show handed Sunderland a Premier League lifeline – and knocked another nail into Derby’s coffin.

Stokes came off the bench to score the only goal of the game deep into injury-time, lifting the Black Cats out of the relegation zone and piling on the agony for the rock-bottom Rams.

After last weekend’s 7-1 humiliation at Everton, the importance of this victory cannot be underestimated.

Sunderland desperately needed a win to repair their battered confidence.

They needed the points to climb out of the bottom three.

And they needed to kick relegation rivals Derby while they are down.

No wonder the Stadium of Light erupted when Stokes bundled the ball home in the 92nd minute!

Up to that point, Derby had stubbornly resisted all Sunderland’s pressure and looked as though they had forced a draw.

Keane admitted last week that he had picked the wrong team against Everton, and he proved his point by making five changes to the side that started at Goodison Park.

He sprang a surprise by dropping the most expensive goalkeeper in Britain, £9m Craig Gordon, and replacing him with last season’s consistent performer Darren Ward.

And the change paid dividends as Ward, playing his first game since the end of April, ensured Sunderland kept a clean sheet for the first time since the opening day of the campaign.

Elsewhere, Greg Halford and Danny Collins were restored in the full-back roles with Ian Harte dropping to the bench and skipper Dean Whitehead moving into his preferred role in midfield.

Ross Wallace came in on the left flank, with Grant Leadbitter switched back into central midfield alongside Whitehead, which meant there was no place for Dwight Yorke or Dickson Etuhu.

And up front Keane dropped Michael Chopra to the bench and gave Andy Cole his first start for the club in his place.

Meanwhile, in dire straits at the foot of the table, Derby played their ace this week as they parted company with boss Billy Davies and appointed survival specialist Paul Jewell.

Jewell, who took unfashionable clubs Bradford and Wigan into the Premier League and kept them there, is now charged with the unenviable task of stopping Derby becoming this season’s sacrificial Rams.

And a defeat in a crucial relegation six-pointer was hardly the ideal start.

But, while Sunderland had the better of the first half, they could easily have gone in trailing at the break.

The Black Cats’ veteran frontman Cole was lively but missed three chances in the first 45 minutes.

First he dragged a 25-yard shot wide of the left-hand post, then he slipped as he controlled a cross at the far post and could only flash his shot wide while on the ground, and finally he steered a header just over the top left-hand corner.

Five minutes before half-time it was Derby’s turn to go on the offensive and Sunderland only just survived.

Centre-back Paul McShane, who retained his place despite a disastrous display against Everton, must have feared the worst when his missed clearance allowed Kenny Miller to burst into the box.

But Ward came to his rescue with a stunning save, tipping Miller’s low shot onto the left-hand post and away to safety.

And then a couple of minutes later it was Whitehead’s turn to spare Ward’s blushes after the goalkeeper was put under pressure as he came to collect a corner.

The ball fell kindly for Steven Howard and he stabbed it goalwards, but there was Whitehead to clear off the line.

Sunderland also had a great chance to go in front in first-half injury-time after Derby keeper Stephen Bywater couldn’t hold on to a shot from Leadbitter.

Kenwyne Jones got to the loose ball first, but he blasted his shot against the post and it rebounded clear.

Both sides defended better in the second half, but Sunderland continued to look the more dangerous

A shot from Whitehead midway through the second period seemed goal-bound – or would at least have tested Bywater – but sub Chopra got in the way.

Derby sub Dean Leacock almost gifted Sunderland a goal six minutes from time when a Sunderland free kick was played up to the edge of the box, Leacock got his head to it and the ball was destined for the bottom left-hand corner until Bywater saved.

Sunderland looked to have run out of ideas, but then came Stokes’ moment.

Liam Miller got into the box in the right-hand channel and crossed for Jones, whose header was brilliantly parried by Bywater.

But Stokes was there to follow-up – at the second attempt!

A vital goal in a vital game.

Just how vital, we will find out in May.