Seasiders Illuminate the Stadium of Light
Last updated : 28 December 2010 By INOIT
![](http://pictures.footymad.net/upload/74/613161-5.jpg) | Bob Stokoe former Pool manager who won the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1971 |
|
Bruce had given Campbell his first chance in the Premier League during his time as Birmingham boss, but saw his former charge produce a 52nd-minute volley and a late second goal which handed the Seasiders their fifth league win on the road this season.
However, the Black Cats had only themselves to blame as they squandered a series of chances in front of a bumper holiday crowd of 42,892 on the way to a fifth defeat of the campaign and their first on home soil.
Only Manchester United had previously won a league game on Wearside this calendar year, and although the visitors had keeper Richard Kingson and the crossbar to thank for their clean sheet, they scrapped their way to the whistle to claim all three points.
Blackpool arrived on Wearside having not kicked a ball in anger since December 11 and with the home fans wondering whether that would have left them rusty or rested.
Sunderland were significantly strengthened in the wake of a 2-0 Boxing Day defeat at Manchester United which was far more comprehensive than the scoreline suggested.
Skipper Lee Cattermole and in-form striker Danny Welbeck returned from suspension and ineligibility respectively, while there was also a start for David Meyler following his latest return from injury.
Bruce had hoped the changes would give his team fresh legs and fresh impetus, and while the trio certainly did that, the Black Cats simply could not make the pressure tell.
They dominated the early stages of the game as the Seasiders came to terms with their belated return to action and created at least six good opportunities during the opening 45 minutes.
However, #23million strike-force Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan, as well as Welbeck, who had gone into the game with five goals in his last six appearances, had left their shooting boots at home.
Bent shot across the face of goal after 11 and 32 minutes and Gyan, who had earlier driven the ball into the side-netting from a tight angle, wastefully scuffed wide from Ahmed Elmohamady's injury-time cross with the goal at his mercy.
Indeed, only midfielder Jordan Henderson, whose inviting cross Welbeck had earlier failed to convert, troubled Kingson unduly when he forced him into an ungainly 40th-minute save after Bent had set him up to side-foot firmly towards goal.
Blackpool, without inspirational captain Charlie Adam through suspension, found themselves on the back foot for lengthy periods, but gradually worked their way into the game and had chances of their own.
The best of them fell to striker Campbell, and if he should have done better with the first of them, he was unfortunate not to convert the second.
Substitute Matt Phillips, on for the injured Elliot Grandin, left Welbeck and Phil Bardsley for dead down the left on the half-hour and crossed for Campbell, who made space for himself, but could not hit the target.
But he went much closer seven minutes before the break when he worked himself into a good position and fired a low 20-yard drive inches wide with keeper Craig Gordon scrambling anxiously across his line.
Sunderland resumed with a flurry as Gyan headed across the face of goal and Welbeck shot straight at Kingson.
However, it was Blackpool who took the lead with 52 minutes gone after the home side went to sleep at a corner.
Neil Eardley was given time and space to collect David Vaughan's short pass and clip in a left-foot cross which Ian Evatt flicked on for Campbell to volley home from close range.
Matt Phillips blasted a long-range effort just wide a minute later, sparking Sunderland back into life, although Gyan could not keep his 58th-minute shot down as he slid in to meet Henderson's driven cross at the near post.
Bruce replaced Meyler with Kieran Richardson seconds later, but Blackpool were growing in confidence as the game wore on and looked capable of adding to their tally.
Indeed, they might have done just that with 64 minutes gone when defender Craig Cathcart headed Ludovic Sylvestre's corner into the side-netting.
Sunderland mounted an onslaught as the clock ran down and Kingson had to pull off a series of saves, denying substitute Steed Malbranque 10 minutes from time and then getting Evatt out of jail after his slip allowed Bent in four minutes later.
Bent's afternoon was summed up when his 86th-minute free-kick came back off the bar, and Campbell completed a miserable afternoon for the home side when he added a second from the impressive Phillips' inch-perfect cross with just seconds to play.
Sunderland 0-2 Blackpool: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Holloway not shocked by Blackpool.
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway said he is not shocked by his side's lofty Premier league position after seeing them beat Sunderland 2-0 to climb to eighth spot.The Seasiders were widely tipped to be relegated this season but recorded their seventh league win of the campaign at the Stadium of Light.
Holloway said: "I knew how good we were and believe in what we're trying to do.
"It's not always about the best team winning it's about the people who finish off the chances."
DJ Campbell grabbed both goals
to take his tally for the season to five and Holloway also had plenty of praise for his joint top-scorer.
Can it get any better than this, another win on the road, 25 points in the bag at the year end - dreamland or what?
shopkeeper_BFC
"I've said all along that once we get to the speed of this league we have people who will take the chances we create and DJ proved that," Holloway continued.
"He got two out of four, a lot of people would have dropped their head after the first two in the first half but he made them with a couple of brilliant bits of skill.
"I said to him at half-time 'keep going' and when he believes he is as good as I think he is we'll have a player on our hands."
Although the cold weather meant Blackpool had not played since 11 December, they showed no signs of rustiness - although Holloway did admit they had more than their fair share of good fortune.
Players 'delighted' to be at Blackpool - Campbell
"It's nice to get playing again and nice to carry on in the vein we finished a couple of weeks ago against Stoke," he added.
"We had a brilliant result there, managed to ride our luck a bit and we probably did the same again with a bit of a smash-and-grab affair.
"But it's great for the lads; they are a fantastic bunch and I am very, very, very proud of them.
"Hopefully this will continue we don't want this bubble of enthusiasm and enjoyment to burst
"I am so proud of our fans. They have had some wonderful days with this famous club in the past and we are getting a few now. Hopefully we have earned that and long may it continue.
"We have the worst budget by a long, long margin but we are going to try to keep scoring and entertaining and hopefully we will get enough wins to survive in this division because it is fantastic - it's the best place to be."
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce was staggered by his side's failure to take one of the numerous chances they fashioned.
"I have never known or been involved in a game like that," he commented.
"The stats lads told me we had 33 attempts on their goal and something like 37 crosses into the penalty area and we haven't converted one chance.
Bruce 'puzzled' by fixture congestion
"We have probably had more chances in that game than we have had all season but we haven't taken one and when you don't take them you get punished and we have.
"It always lingers in the back of your mind 'is it going to be one of those days' but with the number of chance we created I thought it would be impossible that the longer it went on that we wouldn't take one.
"We created chance after chance but Blackpool picked us off and took the three points.
"The two lads who I have signed before - Richards Kingson and DJ Campbell - came back to haunt me.
"But I could not have asked anything more from my players. We have a w wonderful 2010 but unfortunately it ended with a defeat."