Report from head coach Sunderland had no coach again and had only four points.
The supporters, the board, and new chairman Tom Cowie were all disappointed with Sunderland as they had lost four straight and were sulking in eighteenth position. Despite the results and our lowly position, there was a common opinion among the supporters that we were not too far away from having a great team that could challenge at the top end of the table.
Ken Knighton had some healthy selection difficulties for this game against the Gunners, having already told the local press that his current focus was on consolidation rather than qualifying for Europe. Pop Robson, John Hawley, and Alan Brown were all cleared to play, and there were rumors that Gary Rowell was also about to make a comeback.
With regard to the returning John Hawley, the management was upbeat and tried to refute the developing belief that the large center forward was prone to injuries.
In September 1979, Knighton paid £120,000 plus Wayne Entwistle to acquire Hawley from Leeds. Prior to an injury at the beginning of the season, he had scored five goals in six games during his previous season with Leeds!
The team had missed Hawley’s strength and firepower, but the manager was happy to have him back in the lineup. The manager went on to say that while he was happy to have Hawley back in the lineup, he did not anticipate him immediately regaining his previous level of play. Given Pop Robson’s predatory tendencies against a large target man, it must have been alluring to play both returnees up front with him also fit.
Arsenal were not without selection dilemmas themselves before this game. John Hollins and David O’Leary were injured, and Alan Sunderland was suspended. David Price, Brian McDermott, and Steve Walford would step in for the Gunners.
There was a strong wind blowing toward the Roker End in Sunderland’s favour as the game got underway in front of just under 22,000 fans.
Despite playing against the strong wind, Arsenal looked more likely, with some composed possession and slick passing in the first few minutes of the game. What was quickly apparent to me and most other fans watching was the effort and fight from the Roker lads, typified by an all-action box-to-box display from Shaun Elliott playing in the midfield and rampaging full-back Joe Bolton.
Breaking into the Arsenal box in four minutes, Stan Cummins beat his marker and slid a lovely pass to the express train that was Joe Bolton. The resulting shot was more in danger of punching a hole in the scoreboard, as he sent the ball well over the bar when it might have been easier to score, but it set the tone for a humdinger of a game.
The game sawsawed in terms of dominance as Sunderland began to wrest the midfield away from the visitors, with Arnott beginning to weave a bit of his magic and Cummins popping up all over the pitch and always likely to go past his defender. Whitworth and Bolton were venturing more down their flanks in their own characteristic styles as Allardyce and Hindmarch got to grips with their defensive duties.
Then, on twenty-three minutes, one of those moments in a game where time seems to slow down as you watch in’slo-mo’ and afterward, you are just glad you were on the ground to witness the event!
As the ball hung awkwardly in the wind just inside the Gunners half, Joe Bolton charged after it and won not one but two 50/50 tackles (the like of which would probably have seen him sent off today). As he charged into the second tackle, the ball broke to John Hawley, standing about five yards from the halfway line and just outside the centre circle.
From my vantage point in the Fulwell End I watched the ball in my own time zone as it flew straight and true with ‘Top Binns’ written all over it! Pat Jennings despairing, outstretched arm only added to the picture as the back of the net almost lifted off and the crowd roared and roared its approval.
What a strike by the returning forward, who had looked knackered and, in his post-match interview, volunteered as much, saying the only reason he struck the shot was he was so tired.
The goal certainly provoked Arsenal, who came back at us, with Brian Talbot pulling their strings to good effect.
