Blackpool 1-1 Sunderland: Stewart scored his fourth goal in four games
Blackpool 1-1 Sunderland: Ross Stewart strengthens his claim for a bumper new contract after scoring his fourth goal in four matches… but it’s not enough to secure all three points
- Ross Stewart strengthened his claim for a bumper Sunderland contract
- The Scotland striker is out of contract this summer and has been stalling
- The 26-year-old is holding out for a better deal and more suitable terms
Ross Stewart strengthened his claim for a bumper Sunderland contract as his fourth goal in four matches since coming back from injury saved them at Blackpool.
The Scotland striker is out of contract this summer, and has been stalling over a new deal as he seeks better terms.
But having returned to the side over Christmas after more than three months out with a thigh problem, Stewart is proving his value to boss Tony Mowbray, who needs his key striker more than ever after Everton recalled Ellis Simms early from his loan spell on Wearside.
Ross Stewart strengthened his claim for a bumper Sunderland contract as his fourth goal in four matches since coming back from injury saved them at Blackpool
Mowbray’s promotion hopefuls were sluggish for most of the first half against a Blackpool side battling relegation, and fell behind to Shayne Lavery’s 21st-minute goal on the break, with the Northern Ireland forward slotting in from CJ Hamilton’s through pass.
Even after Sunderland perked up, they had ill luck in front of goal, with Amad Diallo and Stewart both striking the crossbar.
He is out of contract this summer and has been stalling over as he seeks better terms
The game on Sunday ended in a 1-1 draw as Shayne Lavery also found the back of the net
MATCH FACTS
Blackpool (4-2-3-1): Maxwell 6; Connolly 5.5, Ekpiteta 6, Thorniley 6, Husband 6; Carey 7, Patino 7 (Dougall 81, 6); Hamilton 7 (Beesley 73, 6), Poveda 7 (Wright 89, 6), Lavery 7.5 (Yates 73, 6); Madine 6.
Substitutes: Grimshaw, Williams, Thompson.
Booked: Connolly, Poveda, Lavery. Sent off: Connolly
Sunderland (3-4-3): Patterson 6; Ballard 6, Wright 6, O’Nien 6; Hume 6.5, Michut 5 (Ba 62, 6.5), Neil 6, Clarke 7; Diallo 7, Stewart 7.5, Roberts 6.5.
Substitutes: Bass, Evans, Dajaku, Bennette, Matete, Rigg.
Booked: Michut, O’Nien
Referee: Tim Robinson (W Sussex) 6.5
Attendance: 14,117
Diallo’s shot thumped back off the bar in first-half stoppage time after Trai Hume and Patrick Roberts had combined down the right to set him up.
Stewart, meanwhile, was frustrated after the break, steering his shot against the goalframe after Jack Clarke had rolled a perfect pass into his path.
The striker was not to be denied, though, and headed in Hume’s cross midway through the second half to delight the noisy travelling support.
In the end, Mowbray’s side probably should have secured a third successive victory, with Diallo cutting in from the right and firing a shot right across goal, while Luke O’Nien flicked a Clarke corner just over the bar, against a Blackpool side who finished with 10 men after right-back Callum Connolly picked up their seventh red card of the season with a second booking in stoppage time.
After such a sluggish start, though, Sunderland were perhaps glad just to get something out of the game. Having lost a goal to Lavery from their own throw-in, they almost went two behind as keeper Anthony Patterson spilled a Hamilton cross-shot and Newcastle fan Gary Madine fired the rebound too high from a tight angle.
Sunderland showed much more attacking vigour after half-time, with Dan Neil and Roberts working the ball from left to right for Diallo to strike a low shot that Chris Maxwell was able to push aside, and Stewart’s flick from the resulting corner causing havoc before the hosts scrambled clear.
Roberts then had a penalty claim rejected after tumbling over Jordan Thorniley’s challenge, before Stewart finally got the equaliser that had started to feel inevitable – and extended Blackpool’s winless run to nine matches.
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