Sunderland 1 Newcastle United 1: match report

The Sunderland chairman, Niall Quinn, personally apologised to Steve Harper after the Newcastle United goalkeeper was pushed to the floor by a pitch-invader following Asamoah Gyan’s stoppage-time equaliser, an unsavoury incident which will be looked into today by the Football Association

Quinn spoke to Harper in the Newcastle dressing room to express regret over the fan’s actions which will be scrutinised officials within the game’s governing body when they study referee Howard Webb’s match report following the incident that marred a dramatic denouement in the 144th Tyne-Wear derby as Gyan’s 94th-minute goal cancelled out Kevin Nolan’s 52nd-minute opener.

A young Sunderland fan was led away by stewards after being picked out of the crowd by former police officer Webb and taken into police custody as rivalry between the supporters over with up to ten seats ripped out and thrown over a thin blue line.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce was withering in his condemnation of the culprit whose actions were reminiscent of a fan who ran on to the field to goad then Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given following the decisive goal in a 2-1 home win two seasons ago.

“I just saw Steve Harper on the floor and I didn’t see what happened,” Bruce said. “I’d like to say well done to the Sunderland fans who gave the kid up, and he is, a kid.

“We love the football and the passion but we don’t need to see any scenes like that. I hope they ban him for a long time. I can’t understand what goes through his mind, why the hell he’s got to come onto the pitch and confront Harper baffles me. It’s remarkable how such a young lad gets that in his mind. Why doesn’t he just celebrate with 40,000 other fans? It’s a sad indictment of society.”

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew emerged as the post-match diplomat as he played down the incident.

“When you get a last-minute goal in a derby there’ll be an overreaction from everybody and what happened with that fan that shouldn’t have happened,” Pardew said.

“He pushed him in the back but I don’t think there was anything malicious in it, but people have to control themselves. I don’t want to harp on about it. Harps said he barged him in the back. On first sight it’s an ugly incident but I don’t think it was that bad, there was no punch thrown.”

That Pardew said the draw “felt like a defeat” was understandable because he team had comprehensively outplayed a Sunderland side who were gunning for revenge for a 5-1 defeat at St James’ Park last October.

Pardew described the decision to play five minutes of added time as “harsh” stating: When you get five minutes it brings the stadium alive again, the ref almost went ‘here you are, here’s a bit more excitement for you because we’d killed the crowd.

Joey Barton pressed his case for an England recall because not only was head and shoulders above his opponents in open play to keep Newcastle on the front foot, but he also excelled at set-pieces while Sunderland laboured, with Jordan Henderson showing the strain of playing week in week out.

Barton set the tone for an outstanding performance in the third minute when he sent Shola Ameobi through in the third minute but the striker rolled a left-footed shot inches wide.

Sunderland threatened to make the most of their lucky escape but, after expertly turning Fabricio Coloccini, Darren Bent thumped a shot straight at Harper who then denied Steed Malbranque and Ahmed Elmohamady as Sunderland huffed and puffed to gain the upper hand.

Another chance came and went for the out-of-sorts Bent after half-time and then Nolan, who scored a hat-trick the last time these neighbours met, exploited the let-off when he struck again in the 52nd minute when he back-heeled past Craig Gordon from close range after Ameobi rose above Anton Ferdinand to win Barton’s corner.

Edgy Sunderland had struggled to keep up with Newcastle thanks to their lack of composure but threatened to fall apart following the goal, playing to their opponents’ strengths by repeatedly hoofing long balls that were easily dealt with by Coloccini and Mike Williamson as a passing game went out of the window.

It was depressing stuff for Sunderland supporters and an increasingly confident Newcastle should have picked off their jumpy opponents but failed to make the most of a string of promising breakaways.

Sunderland needed a bit of luck and that’s what they got in the 94th minute when Phil Bardsley set his sights on goal in a frenetic finale, Harper failed to hold his shot and the ball bounced in off Gyan.

“I wanted to get the ball with my head but it was going too fast for me so I had to use my chest. It was a bit lucky, but it counts,” Gyan said.

“The goal summed up his afternoon,” Bruce said.” It hit him and went five yards ahead of him.

“I feel better than I did three months ago but I’m disappointed we’ve not played to the level we have here at the stadium all season. Again we’ve been caught up in the occasion.”

24 arrests were made before, during and immediately after the match for offences including drunk and disorderly, disorderly conduct and going into the playing area.