Mcclean lightens Sunderland’s load
JAMES McCLEAN said he couldn’t wait for his first home game of the season and he will be just as excited about his next run-out after scoring both goals in a satisfying win over Morecambe.
Thousands queued outside the Stadium of Light after the signing of Sunderland-daft Adam Johnson and the arrival of the £10million signing — not to mention his fellow recruit Steven Fletcher — brought renewed and much-needed optimism to Wearside and a bumper gate of 22,871.
It was only League Two outfit Morecambe but that did not stop manager Martin O’Neill fielding a strong side, a deliberate attempt to show off his new talent and blood them in ahead of Saturday’s trip to Swansea.
He was rewarded with a comfortable victory, including two assists from Johnson for Republic of I r el and international James McClean to score twice and send a nudge in the direction of Giovanni Trapattoni ahead of the start of World Cup qualifying in Astana on Friday week.
Johnson’s first touch in the opening minutes came just outside the area and inevitably, urged on by home fans, he was left in no doubt that he had to shoot.
But of course he has more craft and guile than that. He shifted quickly from right to left, moving across to fellow winger McClean but unable to find an opening, he turned back to Lee Cattermole and beckoned him to start the attack again.
In his technical area O’Neill bounced on his toes, as if the grass beneath his feet was on fire. In those opening seconds, he had seen enough to know his new signing had brought the guile, pace and craft missing from the team he inherited last season.
The first 10 minutes brought a few stepovers, a neat dribble and feint of the hips to take him into the area. And then, most encouraging of all, an exchange with Stephane Sessegnon.
Of course Johnson has been added to the squad to supply crosses and one effort almost put former Scotland i nternational Fletcher in on goal but he was unable to control to contrive a shot of meaning at Morecambe goalkeeper Barry Roche.
Johnson finally found his target from a 23rd-minute corner which landed perfectly on the head of former Derry City flyer McClean, who headed emphatically home.
Then Johnson went to town, rasping Roche’s hands with a fierce near post shot and crossing when he had no right to do so for Seb Larsson to head over.
Morecambe did get some encouragement after the break, particu- rticu- l arly when Lewis Alessandra tested Keiren Westwood from distance, but Johnson and McClean combined to kill off any comeback in the 65th minute.
Johnson played a simple pass and McClean neatly beat one sliding challenge scoring with a low right-foot shot to ensure he would beat Johnson and Fletcher to the man-of-the-match award.
Seconds later Fletcher departed to a standing ovation to be replaced by free signing Louis Saha.
And McClean nearly completed his hat-trick when — just before Fraizer Campbell was sent on for him to an even bigger cheer — he shot againstaga a post.