JACKIE SPOT ON TO SAVE THE DAY
SUNDERLAND 1 ORIENT 1 SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1977
Sunderland needed a late Jackie Ashurst penalty to rescue a point against Orient at Roker Park.
A lacklustre display from the home side coupled with the work-rate of a Brisbane Road outfit sitting near the bottom of the Division Two table, made it a frustrating day for a 28,261-strong crowd.
The match was symptomatic of an inconsistent start to the season from Jimmy Adamson’s side, who had been soundly beaten 3-0 at Hull on the opening day of the season before defeating Burnley by the same scoreline just three days later.
Orient were on top for the majority of the game, but only had a single goal from Peter Kitchen to show for their dominance before Ashurst levelled things for the hosts.
Argus wrote in the Echo: “Orient took Sunderland out of their stride at Roker Park in a game which had the Roker crowd baying anxiously most of the time.
“The goal with which Peter Kitchen put Orient ahead in 28 minutes could have come much earlier and it took a penalty kick by Jackie Ashurst to level the account.
“Nothing went right for Sunderland from start to finish, with Orient putting in a tremendous work-rate in every department.”
Sunderland’s Barry Siddall quickly became the busier keeper.
First, he recovered quickly after palming a Kitchen header towards the goal, before diving bravely at the striker’s feet shortly afterwards.
Joe Mayo had a goal chalked off for Orient, then Hoadley crashed a free-kick against the bar for the visitors, who were very much the dominant force.
They would not be denied for long, however, as Mayo headed a free-kick back across goal for Kitchen to beat Siddall from close range.
Almost an hour had passed before Sunderland finally made good use of a free-kick – Rowell laid the ball off for Ashurst to strike, but he drilled his shot narrowly wide of the post.
And when Orient keeper Jackson was forced into a su- perb save to deny Joe Bolton, Sunderland at last seemed close to an equaliser.
It came from the spot, after Mick Docherty’s cross had been handled by an Orient defender, and that set in motion a frantic final 15 minutes.
Siddall was at full stretch to keep out Chiedozie after he was sent through one-onone, before Mel Holden twice went close for the Rokermen.
Jackson was on hand to fingertip his header away, and the forward then shot wide on the turn with the last chance of the game.
It was a result and performance that left the home crowd, and Argus, decidedly unimpressed, and it would be another seven games before Sunderland tastest victory again.