Never has the chant of "Shearer, Shearer" been sung with such gusto, and never at such demoralised banks of Newcastle supporters. For the second successive year Sunderland had conquered Tyneside; the Toon Army sat in stunned silence, struggling to come to terms with Saturday's breathless derby while the 3,000 visiting fans bounced joyfully up in the gods of St James' Park. For Geordies everywhere it promises to be another galling season.
Yet it could have been so different. With seven minutes of this pulsating match remaining, Niall Quinn clattered Rob Lee as he scuttled into the area. The challenge matched the frenzied atmosphere but, with the stadium barely able to watch, Alan Shearer fired his spot-kick right, Thomas Sorensen dived to his left and, as the ball was palmed for a corner, Newcastle were beaten.
"It doesn't get any better than this," said Sorensen. "When you come to Sunderland, the first thing you are told is that it doesn't matter where you finish, as long as it's above Newcastle. You can't put any points tally on this game and it was very emotional in the dressing room."
Newcastle could have won this 121st derby at a canter, yet harder still for their fans to comprehend was the lack of any plausible scapegoat. Last year they could hide behind Ruud Gullit's sacrilegious decision to leave Shearer on the bench. Fingers could even be pointed accusingly at the deluge that engulfed St James' Park on that miserable night when Sunderland, as on Saturday, came from a goal down to win.
But this time the crestfallen manager was one of their own; the guilt-edged culprit the darling of Gallowgate. Bobby Robson, the usual spark in his eye eclipsed by disappointment, could hardly summon the words. "I feel very low because I thought we would win this one. It's a horrible disappointment, but this isn't the end of our season," he said.
The visitors could have been swamped in Newcastle's riotous early attacks. After only 18 seconds Gary Speed found himself bearing down on goal, only for the ball to squirm awkwardly off his left boot. Sunderland were then floored as Nolberto Solano's cross was headed against a post by Speed. With Sorensen static and his defence in tatters, the midfielder prodded the ball over the line as he lay sprawled on the turf. The wave of attacks persisted with Clarence Acuna and Speed narrowly failing to convert a pair of Solano free-kicks.
Pressed into action, the Sunderland manager Peter Reid gambled by hauling off Chris Makin in favour of the Argentine winger Julio Arca. The move could have backfired, but instead it paid dividends. Within two minutes Kevin Phillips, turning inside Aaron Hughes, crossed for Don Hutchison to twist his body and smash a left-foot volley inside the post. For a split second there was jaw-dropping silence as even Hutchison, a Geordie, gauged exactly what had happened. Then the visiting fans exploded in raucous celebration.
Newcastle's response was swift - Solano thumping the post with a 20-yard free-kick - but they were just as rattled and, after 76 minutes, behind. Another Solano attempt was blocked, Sunderland broke at speed with Alex Rae sliding the ball through to Michael Gray, whose wonderful cross was met by a wondrous header from Quinn.
"It was entertaining and passionate," admitted Reid. "We didn't get the credit we deserved last year, but that was a great performance. That one was for the fans."
NEWCASTLE: Given, Caldwell, Lee, Hughes, Solano, Bassedas (Lua-Lua 57), Acuna (Barton 78), Speed, Domi, Dyer, Shearer. Subs not used: Griffith, Harper, Cordone. Booked: Lee.
SUNDERLAND: Sorensen, Makin (Arca 67), Gray, Thome, Craddock, Rae, Hutchinson, Williams, Kilbane, Quinn (Dichio 85), Phillips. Subs not used: Oster, Macho, Varga. Booked: Gray, Hutchinson, Thome.
Referee: G Poll.
