On This Day (1st October 1988): Sunderland get their season up and running against Oldham!

10/01/2024 12:00 AM

Performances during 1988/1989 had been encouraging, and the visit of the Latics proved to be another important step forward for the Lads

Sunderland largely gave a good account of themselves during the 1988/1989 season, as Denis Smith's side returned to Division Two and made a much better fist of things than had been the case the last time the club were in the second tier.

Two abject seasons under Lawrie McMenemy had led to relegation in 1987, but following his appointment, Smith revitalised the squad and got them back up at first attempt.

Once back in the second division, we quickly got up to speed and would eventually finish in a creditable eleventh place, although in the early weeks, the results weren't always a fair reflection of our initial performances.

Although York City had been beaten in the League Cup, the Lads initially struggled to register a maiden league victory, with four draws and two defeats being recorded in the opening six fixtures ahead of the visit of Oldham Athletic to Roker Park on this day.

All that had been missing was a touch of higher level nous in the crucial moments, and with the Latics posing a threat, the team knew they would need to wise up quickly.

Top scorers in the division so far, Athletic were obviously capable of getting something on Wearside, but this was an opportunity for the hosts to show their mettle and come full time, a mature performance had been put on to banish any lingering doubts about Sunderland's ability to keep pace.

This was especially pleasing for Smith given the problems he'd endured during the build-up, with injuries to influential pair Gary Bennett and Reuben Agboola giving him some unwanted selection headaches.

Although the prognosis for Bennett (now of course an MBE) was a little clearer and his fate decided earlier in the week, Agboola's groin strain left his status up in the air.

His selection was confirmed on the morning of the game, but the matter had still caused complications in the meantime, to both the match planning and associated training drills, during which Smith hoped to try and implement a sweeper system that could counter Oldham's attacking threat.

At least Richard Ord had been able to prime himself ahead of his first start of the campaign, having been told in advance that he would be asked to slot into the position vacated by captain Benno.

However, it was only when Agboola's availability was decided upon that the exact formation could be finalised, with the manager able to push ahead with his new plan after all.

It was Frank Gray that was to sit in front of Ord and company, with Gary Owers dropping into the right back slot, and there was to be a back up option should it not work out, as Gary Ogilvie was named on the bench for the first time following some impressive showings in defence for the reserves.

The changes were designed to keep things tight at the back, but Oldham were seemingly in a generous mood, as they gave an early helping hand to their hosts at the other end of the pitch.

Both teams had looked enterprising, but when Andy Rhodes threw the ball out to Andy Barlow, possession was quickly surrendered on the edge of the box and it allowed Marco Gabbiadini to pounce and curl a shot over the now stranded goalkeeper.

This was Gabbiadini's first goal of the season and also the first time we'd led in Division Two, but that wasn't to be the case for long.

Unlike in previous games the visitors, hadn't been content to just sit back and they levelled quickly through Frankie Bunn, who scored with a diving header off Andy Ritchie's cross. The striker wasn't done there either, as he then notched another, striking a fierce shot into the net after Ritchie combined with Willie Donachie to tee him up.

Surrendering our lead and then going behind could've rocked a weaker side, but this was when the Lads really did take a step forward and show the winning mindset that they needed.

We hit back just as quickly and the equaliser came from the spot when John Kelly felled Colin Pascoe in the area, which gave stand-in skipper for the afternoon John MacPhail the chance to find the bottom right hand corner with the resulting penalty.

It was an inch-perfect finish, albeit after Rhodes had guessed incorrectly and dived the wrong way regardless.

The scores remained level at the break, which was about right on the balance of play.

Moments before the interval, Iain Hesford raced out of his box to head away a through ball to Roger Palmer in the nick of time, and he would need to be as equally alert in the second half too, even when the quality of the action took something of a nosedive.

With things on a knife edge, the mood became tetchy- a point that was highlighted when MacPhail was cautioned for a late challenge on Bunn, who then retaliated moments afterwards.

Thinking he would get away with it because the referee was busy moving the wall back for the subsequent free kick, his plan failed because he hadn't reckoned on one of linesman keeping his eyes on the action, and so he quickly joined his adversary in the book.

That wouldn't be Bunn's only disappointment as he was later denied a hat trick, although the next major goalmouth incident went in our favour and we made the most of it.

Hesford's awareness was a factor once more, and having come out to meet the ball ahead of Palmer, his clearance was turned into a long range pass by Gabbiadini. His flick dropped neatly into the path of Pascoe, who shook off two tackles and hit a shot low into the goal.

It was another quality finish and the sides continued to create further opportunities thereafter, with Agboola making a vital goal-line clearance in the final moments to prevent Bunn being awarded the match ball.

The intervention proved to be the difference between victory and another draw as we finally got ourselves over the winning line. It was a boost not just for the players but for the town itself, seeing as that day's edition of The Sunderland Echo had led with a piece about the ongoing uncertainty around the Wearside shipyards.

With around 1,000 North East Shipbuilders' employees due to be laid off at the end of the month, the area needed something to keep collective spirits up.

A similar number of workers were to be kept on for now so that the remaining orders could be fulfilled, and some representatives still hoped the total closures being planned could be avoided and that the industry would continue in some form on the Wear.

The deadline for bids from firms looking to move in had been set for noon the day before, and intriguingly was thought to have attracted a couple of potential solutions. Therefore, a successful team would serve a dual purpose of keeping some of the gloom away for the time being, whilst also helping to boost the local image to prospective outside investors.

One man whose future did seem secure was assistant manager Viv Busby, who'd recently signed a new three-year deal and then ruled himself out of the running for the top job at his former club York City, despite being heavily tipped.

The day's copy of The Sports Echo included a feature on the hugely popular coach, whilst the front cover could be a little more upbeat than its sister publication, plumping for a headline that simply stated 'AT LAST!' in reference to the three points.

Things were evidently taking shape and with a win under our belts, the team was getting back on track following the dismal times suffered earlier in the decade.

Saturday 1st October 1988

Barclays League Division Two

Roker Park

Attendance: 12,529

Sunderland 3 (Gabbiadini 10', MacPhail (pen) 34', Pascoe 72')

Oldham Athletic 2 (Bunn 13', 32')

Sunderland: Hesford, Owers, MacPhail; Gray, Ord, Agboola; Doyle, Armstrong, Pascoe; Whitehurst, Gabbiadini

Subs Not Used: Ogilvie, Gates