Dennis the Menace sinks battling Bluebirds

A smash and grab strike from returning Sunderland star Dennis Cirkin was enough to overcome a spirited yet ultimately ineffective effort from Cardiff City in windy South Wales today.

Bluebirds Boss Sabri Lamouchi started with Connor Wickham up top – a reward for a goalscoring performance last time out by the former Sunderland favourite in a vital away win over Blackpool.

Cirkin began the game for Tony Mowbray’s visiting Sunderland side after recent fitness concerns.

Visiting skipper Danny Batth led his team out to a terrific welcome from the travelling Wearsiders, who virtually filled out the away end on this bright, if breezy Bank Holiday Monday.

The well populated home seats in a crowd of 23,365 also made for a lively atmosphere at 3.00 pm.

Despite this enthusiasm though, the first half was busy but scruffy, mirroring the gusty conditions, which saw untidy litter blown all around the green surface.

Pierre Ekwah put a shot over for Sunderland and Jaden Philogene fired wide for the hosts. This was the nearest we had come to any real goalmouth thrills.

The visitors saw more of the ball in the opening 20 minutes but neither side were really able to establish a foothold in the game. Too many balls from Mowbray’s men were overhit. The visitors’ saw more goal bound efforts than Cardiff City though.

Cardiff barley threatened at all, despite the willing guile of Wickham and Philogene’s nimble footwork.

Ryan Wintle worked hard to get the home side going and the odd overlap from Mahlon Romeo sometimes looked promising. On the whole though, the Bluebirds did little to dampen the spirits of the noisy travelling fans.

Occasional bursts of pressure from the visitors led to nothing as the stalemate continued.

In a shock move,  Jack Simpson replaced Sheyi Ojo for Cardiff City and Andy Rinomhota replaced Philogene. Jack Clarke was caught offside for Sunderland and Sory Kaba headed smartly downwards in front of goal. A somewhat dull game had sprung into life at the end of the first half. Another change at the start of the second half saw Wickham replaced by the towering Kion Etete.

The change almost brought immediate dividends as Etete wriggled his way clear to force a smart low save from Anthony Patterson.

The home side were showing greater urgency now as their  lacklustre first half display was replaced a higher tempo show. At the back, Mark McGuiness and his fellow defenders kept a close eye on the lively Alex Pritchard as both sides raised their game. Romeo remained an impressive force.

Amad Diallo caused the home defence headaches with his trickery but the Bluebirds stood firm.

The visitors broke the deadlock on the hour mark though as Ryan Allsop could only parry a free kick into the path of Cirkin. The left-back made no mistake in forcing the rebound home in front of the away contingent.

It was all Sunderland now as the home side looked likely to concede another. Daniel Neil sent right a shot in from outside the box.

Romeo tried to restore parity but his long-range effort sailed wide. Etete went close as the home side tried hard to force their way back into things.

Cardiff substitute Joe Ralls did his best to drive his men onwards as a lively fight from Cardiff made for a thrilling game now. Bookings for Etete and Cedric Kipre.

Etete was proving a handful for the visitors but the goal would not come.

There remained a threat from the visitors though, for whom Diallo remained a livewire.

Cardiff continued to battle, press and chase the game. Their efforts probably deserved a goal. The lively Etete fired over with time ebbing away.

It was not to be though. Cardiff’s chances of a point were gone with the wind. Few in the North East will give a damn.

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