Jordan delivers as Bruce adds brains to brawn

STEVE BRUCE generally provides the image of an affable Geordie, rather than a hitherto unseen master in the dark arts of footballing mind games, but clearly there is something more cerebral lurking beneath that avuncular exterior.

At least that’s the conclusion that has to be drawn from the match-winning contribution of Jordan Henderson, courtesy of a little subtle motivation by his Sunderland manager.

Take a bow, Jordan. Take a bow, Steve.

Earlier in the week, Bruce had floated the idea of giving the recently capped England midfielder a break, suggesting a 15-month stint without a break as a first-team regular had understandably begun to take its toll on the 20-year-old midfielder, who has been one of the Wearside club’s most consistent performers during that time.

With hindsight, Bruce’s words were calculated to illicit a response from his young tyro, who he clearly decided against taking out of the firing line, with the hoped for result.

Suitably spurred on, Henderson duly produced the touch of class to settle a contest that will not live long in the memory.

A stand-out performance from the young Wearsider reached its zenith in the 34th minute.

Matthew Upson just about played Asamoah Gyan onside as the recalled forward charged down the right to meet an inviting pass from Nedum Onuoha.

The Ghanaian kept his composure to provide a perfect cutback for Henderson, who timed his run into the area to perfection before finding the corner of the net with a first-time left-foot finish from a dozen yards.

“It’s been a long time since I scored a goal,” Henderson admitted. “I’ve been working on my finishing in training because the manager wants more goals from midfield, so it’s great to get one and for it to secure all three points.”

As for West Ham, having climbed off the bottom on goal difference 24 hours previously thanks to Wolves suffering a 3-0 defeat at Blackburn, they returned to the foot of the table after making it just one win in their last 10 league outings.

It wasn’t a totally wasted weekend then, for Mick McCarthy, who is under a tad less pressure at Molineux in light of this result which restored the natural order among the dead men.

West Ham weren’t without their chances, and out of necessity were more expansive in the wake of Henderson’s first Premier League goal for almost 12 months.

Their clearest opening arrived 10 minutes from time when after Jonathan Spector produced an air kick from Carlton Cole’s low centre across the area, Victor Obinna’s close range effort struck a post with Craig Gordon struggling to cover.

Spector, who kept his place in midfield after scoring twice in the 4-0 victory over Manchester United that put the Hammers into the last four of the League Cup, had earlier burst through to put a low shot narrowly wide from 18 yards, while shortly after the interval,

Cole sent an angled drive inches off target after a neat three-man build-up.

They were at best sporadic raids, as West Ham were unable to repeat their 2-1 Carling Cup victory here in September to leave them without an away league victory since the opening day of last season.

It is a damning statistic they need to improve upon with immediate effect if they are to extend their six-season tenure in the top flight.

Not for the first time this season, Sunderland’s margin of victory should have been rather more handsome. It took a good save from Robert Green to prevent Gyan, whose misdirected cross had grazed the bar before the break, doubling the advantage with 25 minutes left as the forward raced onto Lee Cattermole’s through ball.

Shortly afterwards, with Green prone and helpless after spilling Kieran Richardson’s effort, defender James Tomkins cleared Danny Welbeck’s goal-bound shot when it appeared easier for the on-loan Manchester United player to score, but regular watchers of Steve Bruce’s side know Sunderland never like to do things the easy way.

Unsurprisingly for a side that has surrendered 11 points from winning positions this season, Sunderland failed to produce that nerve-settling second goal en route to climbing up to seventh in an increasingly congested rump of the table.

Not that the manner of victory will matter that much to Bruce, who will no doubt be hatching his next cryptic motivational speech in a bid to further underline what a perceptive sporting mind he possesses, whatever polar opposite his image.

What’s that about still rivers running deep?