Gyan’s brace brings smile back to Black Cats

THE smile on Asamoah Gyan’s face was a broad as those in the stands as Sunderland launched the healing process with victory over Stoke.

It has been a traumatic week on Wearside in the wake of last Sunday’s 5-1 derby battering at Newcastle.

But for Gyan and company, a 2-0 victory over a pugnacious Stoke side represented the first step on the road to redemption. The fact that it was achieved without the injured Darren Bent, was all the more credible as record signing Gyan was given a first real opportunity to justify his fee. Having opened the scoring within nine minutes of his first Barclays Premier League start, the Ghana international wrapped up a much better day for the Black Cats with the clincher four minutes from time.

Gyan said: “It was a really, really difficult week. After a loss to a rival side like Newcastle, it was a very, very difficult week. But we are happy. We have won and everybody is happy, especially the fans, because that game (against Newcastle) was so important to them and we let them down.”

The game could have been over by the break when Gyan was hauled down by Jon Walters as he attempted to collect Steed Malbranque’s but the same players tame effort was poorly struck and the keeper, Asmir Begovic made a smart save.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis read the riot act at the break and his team were much better after it, but their hopes of a fightback were dashed in controversial circumstances with 19 minutes remaining.

Former Black Cats frontman Kenwyne Jones looped a header towards goal where Lee Cattermole’s frantic attempt to clear it proved successful, but suspiciously so.

Replays showed he had done so only with the use of his arm, an offence which if spotted, would have resulted in a penalty and his third red card of a season which is just 11 games old. But referee Martin Atkinson, after consulting his assistant, awarded only a corner, and Cattermole doubled the dose by clearing a second Jones header off the line.

It was all too much for City skipper Ryan Shawcross, who was sent-off for two bookable offences, the first a wild lunge at Danny Welbeck and the second a more debatable trip on Gyan, within three minutes, and Gyan’s second, a fine 86th-minute strike into the bottom corner, compounded the visitors’ misery.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis was furious about the game’s second penalty decision, the latest in a series of calls he believes have gone against his side. Perhaps understandably, he voiced his support for the introduction of goal-line technology, although he admitted the financial implications further down the ladder or in poorer countries are an issue.

“I’ve seen the TV replay of the incident (Cattermole handball) and the referee has a clear view,” said Pulis. “I’m in favour of technology. You can have two calls every half, or else you’ll be stopping and starting. Last thing you want to do is stop the flow of the game.”