SUNDERLAND 1 Wanderers 0

Bolton Wanderers (3-4-1-2)

JUSSI JAASKELAINEN ... 7

Blameless on the goal, one excellent first half save then little else.

BRUNO N'GOTTY ... 7

Helped keep Phillips relatively quiet.

GUDNI BERGSSON ... 7

So desperately close at the end to salvaging a draw.

MIKE WHITLOW ... 6

Injured himself trying to prevent the goal; he will be missed.

NICKY SOUTHALL ... 6

Much more productive when switched to a central role second half.

PAUL WARHURST ... 7

Managed an hour in typically robust fashion.

STIG TOFTING ... 5

Busy, energetic but still finding his Premiership feet.

RICARDO GARDNER ... 7

At his most penetrative in the first half, more defensive in the second.

YOURI DJORKAEFF ... 8

The class is there, just looking for an outlet.

ROD WALLACE ... 7

Twice denied by Sorensen but will feel he should have scored.

MICHAEL RICKETTS ... 5

Found the going tough against Craddock and Williams, spurned a good chance.

SubsAnthony Barness (6) for Whitlow (h-t), Dean Holdsworth (5) for Ricketts 57 minutes, Mario Espertaro (5) for Warhurst 67 minutes. Not usedKevin Nolan, Kevin Poole.

Sunderland (4-4-2)

THOMAS SORENSEN ... 8

Made three good saves that, in the end, proved decisive.

BERNT HAAS ... 6

Got away with a sloppy piece of defensive work late on.

JODY CRADDOCK ... 8

Let very little get past him in the entire 90 minutes.

DARREN WILLIAMS ... 7

Gave his centre-back partner Craddock tremendous support.

GEORGE McCARTNEY ... 7

A sound performance by the youngster.

MICHAEL GRAY ... 7

Worked well in a wider role than usual.

JASON McATEER ... 8

A typically dynamic display capped by a super finish.

STEFAN SCHWARZ ... 6

Made less of an impact than he has done in previous encounters.

KEVIN KILBANE ... 6

His run and cross for the goal saw the Irishman at his best.

PATRICK MBOMA ... 7

Exciting and skilful; courageous too considering his recent bereavement.

KEVIN PHILLIPS ... 5

Like Ricketts, a class striker desperately in need of a goal.

SubsNiall Quinn for Mboma 92 minutes. Not usedJurgen Macho, Stanislav Varga, David Bellion, Thomas Butler.

RefereeGraham Poll (Hertfordshire).

Attendance43,001.

GoalMcAteer 41 minutes.

Shots/headers on targetSunderland 3, Wanderers 4.

CornersSunderland 1, Wanderers 7.

OffsidesSunderland 7, Wanderers 4.

Fouls committedSunderland 14, Wanderers 18.

BookingsSunderland - Schwarz 21 minutes (foul on Warhurst), Phillips 91 minutes (kicking ball away); Wanderers - Ricketts 39 minutes (retaliation).

Men of the Match

JASON McATEER AND YOURI DJORKAEFF

Sponsors were understandably impressed by the Frenchman's skills but it was the former Burnden favourite whose goal made all the difference in a fixture vital to both clubs.

Moan of the Match

WANDERERS failed to keep the clean sheet they were desperately hoping for but that might not have been so damaging had good chances not gone begging at the other end.

Magic Moment

PAUL Warhurst's perfectly-timed tackle on Phillips and the accuracy and pace of his through ball deserved a goal but Wallace's shot was superbly saved by Sorensen.

KICK BY KICK

1 minute

Mboma gets on the end of Gray's cross with a header that flashes narrowly wide of Jaaskelainen's right hand post

6 minutes

Phillips squanders a glorious chance, meeting a Williams cross with a shot over from six yards.

14 minutes

Bergsson gets a decisive block on McAteer to put an end to a sweeping Sunderland counter-attack.

28 minutes

Ricketts is frustrated in a close-quarters duel with Sorensen after Wallace miscontrols Djorkaeff's ball into the box.

32 minutes

Sorensen comes out on top again, this time saving well from Wallace after Warhurst robs Phillips and delivers the perfect through ball.

33 minutes

Jaaskelainen gets in on the act, getting down to save well from McAteer as Sunderland mount another counter attack.

GOAL!

41 minutes

McAteer finishes confidently, low to Jaaskelainen's left, rounding off Kilbane's excellent run and cross and Phillips' set-up.

H/T: Sunderland 1 Wanderers 0

54 minutes

Tofting shoots wide trying to punish Schwarz for a weak headed clearance from Djorkaeff's cross.

55 minutes

McAteer goes even closer at the other end, driving the ball inches over at the end of some good work by Gray.

71 minutes

Haas drops a clanger but neither Holdsworth nor Wallace can take advantage before Southall shoots over.

78 minutes

Wallace is just too high with a header from Southall's cross at the end of a Djorkaeff-Espertaro build up.

81 minutes

Sorensen comes way off his line and spills Southall's cross but again Wanderers fail to cash in.

86 minutes

Wallace appears to have missed the target with his angled shot but replays show Sorensen getting a vital deflection.

92 minutes

Sorensen is perfectly placed to collect Bergsson's back-header from N'Gotty's free kick; Bergsson heads the resulting corner from Gardner over the bar and the last chance goes begging.

F/T: Sunderland 1 Wanderers 0