Come back tomorrow for Pete Sixsmith‘s full analysis – actually, his it is only his nearly full analysis – of this priceless victory. This is how he saw it for The Observer. We start with the view of a Wanderers fan …

SHAUN O’GARA, BWFC Supporters’ Club

I thought we had chances after chances to win it, but we just couldn’t score. We didn’t play well at all today and our season is in danger of petering out, which is a shame to see us end it on a whimper after all that we have achieved. We haven’t got much of a midfield at the moment and that is costing us.

Player ratings:

Jaaskelainen 6; Steinsson 5, Robinson 5, Cahill 6, Knight 6; Muamba 5 (Gardner 46, 7); Taylor 6 (Klasnic 76, 6), Lee 6 (Moreno 76, 6), Elmander 5; Davies 6, Sturridge 6

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Pity poor Pete Sixsmth. Another early start for a long awayday, another bitter disappointment. Once again, The Observer asked for his verdict. We start with the Birmingham fan …

KYM YPRES-SMITH, SmallHeathAlliance.com

We’ve been worried for weeks, especially after dipping into the bottom three, but this win means we can breathe again – we just need a few more points to be sure. I think 2-0 was a fair reflection of the game. Our first goal was bizarre but just reward for Larsson – he was our man of the match today, Bowyer also played well. We’ve still got a lot of injuries but team spirit got us through today.

Player ratings
Foster 8; Carr 8, Johnson 9, Ridgewell 8, Parnaby 7; Larsson 9 (Fahey n/a), Ferguson 8, Gardner 8, Bowyer 8; Jerome 7 (Derbyshire 90 n/a), Phillips 6 (Hleb 63 7)

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For the second successive week, The Observer caught our Pete Sixsmith on his way out of an away game. He was in a lot happier mood this time, and with good reason. But as usual, we start with the opposition view …

JOSH BEDNASH, Myclubarsenal.wordpress.com

This was really disappointing, especially after United lost in the week. We had a chance to close the gap on them but Sunderland played well, harried us and gave us no space to play our football. We looked jaded and were far from our best. We missed Fábregas, Van Persie and Walcott, as well as Song. There was no creativity today and it’s so cruel that we are going to Barcelona with nowhere near our best side for the second year running. The second half today was a bit better than the first, but without Van Persie we don’t have any options up front. I prefer Chamakh to Bendtner, but it didn’t happen for him today.

Ratings
Szczesny 7; Sagna 6, Djourou 6, Koscielny 6, Clichy 7; Diaby 5 (Rosicky 77 6), Denílson 6 (Chamakh 61 6); Nasri 8, Wilshere 7, Arshavin 7; Bendtner 7
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Mark Eltringham, our Stoke City previewer, is indignant. Why, he thunders, didn’t we mention Lee Cattermole’s great escape at the Stadium of Light? We did, Mark; see “Sorry Stoke, for once we carried the luck“. Salut! Sunderland is an honest sort of site. And Pete Sixsmitb gave another burst of honesty when The Observer asked for his thoughts on yesterday’s match. First, though, the verdict from another Stoke fan …

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The Observer came calling again. Here is Pete Sixsmith‘s verdict, preceded by a Blackpool fan’s thoughts …

John Woodman, AVFTT.co.uk

A bad day at the office. Both sides had plenty of chances but we were flat from the start and never got going. Sunderland were quicker to the ball than us. We had a chance to score before them when Varney was one on one with the keeper and instead of dinking it over the keeper he hit it straight at him. Had we scored that it might have changed the direction of the game. Then our full-back got injured and they scored down that side. We were better in the second half but we didn’t have the guile of DJ Campbell up front, with his darting runs, and we had to make two enforced substitutions and one of them was our goalkeeper

.

The fan’s player ratings Kingson 6 (Rachubka 56 7); Eardley 8, Cathcart 7, Evatt 7, Crainey 6 (Ormerod 49 6); Grandin 6 (Harewood 62 6), Adam 7, Vaughan 8; Phillips 7, Taylor-Fletcher 7, Varney 7

Pete Sixsmith, SalutSunderland.com

A good end to a disappointing week for our football club. Sunderland showed strength of character to win this one against a determined Blackpool side. Kieran Richardson took his goals well from two superb passes. Asamoah Gyan led the forward line well and should flourish now he has a regular place. Blackpool threw everything at us in the closing stages but the defence stood its ground very well and our goalkeeper Gordon is very consistent now he is playing with a strong back four line behind him (*see comment). As the departing fans sang: “Who on earth needs Darren Bent?” apart from “on earth” weren’t the words used.

The fan’s player ratings Gordon 8; Onuoha 7, Bramble 7, Ferdinand 8, Bardsley 7 (Colback 63 6); Elmohamady 6 Henderson 7, Zenden 7, Richardson 8, Malbranque 7 (Riveros n/a); Gyan 8

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Pete Sixsmith‘s considered view – a point won, or two sacrificed? – should be up and running here by tomorrow. But before he even left Wigan, he was being pumped by Salut! Sunderland for his seven-word verdict – published here last night – and The Observer for a slight longer instant summary …

THE OBSERVER fan’s verdict:

It was very frustrating at the end because I thought we had done enough to just about deserve the win.
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Colin Randall writes: several times this season, The Observer has asked Salut! Sunderland to report from a fan’s viewpoint on Sunderland games. Almost without fail, that has seen the name of Pete Sixsmith added to the paper’s distinguished parade of writers (he kindly left the task of reporting on Chelsea 7 Sunderland 2 to me – thanks, Pete). Soon, Salut! Sunderland will begin a series of end-of-season reports. Today, The Obs runs its own fans’ review of how it has been for supporters of each Premier club. This is Pete’s contribution (before any tweaks or cuts by Observer folk) …

Overall mark out of 10

7. The new regime got off to a good start, had a major hiccup in the middle and finished reasonably well. The fact that our season was finished in March is some sort of progress and Steve Bruce has a base to build on for next season. We have been dependent on Bent for his goals and Gordon for his saves but we seem to have a strong spine running through the team. The owner has been quiet and supportive; long may it remain so. We have a great opportunity to build on this – the best chance since the early years of the century when a lack of serious investment held us back. I don’t see that happening this time.

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Several times a season, Britain’s best newspaper, The Observer, recognises quality elsewhere and comes to Salut! Sunderland, or rather to Pete Sixsmith, for a match summing up. So did Pete witness a game in which our stars, released from the least relegation concerns, produced an away win with free-flowing total football? Not exactly. Pete saw an away win – at last – but it was painful. But let’s hear from a disconsolate Hull first…

RICK SKELTON HullCityOnline.com:

It was a bit of a wimper-ish way to go down. We started appallingly, and Sunderland could have had three in the first 10 minutes. Then we missed the penalty, lost Altidore – who was stupid to react and deserved to get sent off – and the second half was a non-event. We had plenty of the ball but we haven’t broken anybody down in two seasons. We’re in trouble now – there’s going to be a CVA or we’ll go into administration, and I’m certain we’ll start on -10 points next season. I wouldn’t mind Iain Dowie staying as he seems to empathise with the place but will we be able to afford even him?

Player ratings: Duke 7; Mendy 7, Gardner 6, Mouyokolo 8, Dawson 6; Barmby 6 (Fagan 62 6), Boateng 8 (Cullen 75 7), Bullard 5, (Cairney 46 7) Geovanni 7; Altidore 4, Folan 6
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For those who do not take The Observer – shame on you; it’s the best Sunday paper and needs all the support it can get just now – this is how our own Pete Sixsmith saw Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Sunderland in today’s edition …

Jones led the line so well and got Bent involved early on. Jones was a giant – and did some tremendous defensive headers. It was a good, solid win and we were outstanding in the first half. Jussi had a blinder against us and Bent was unfortunate. In the second half they came at us, but Fulop made two outstanding saves – his handling was good and he ran his area very well.The manager has strengthened the team in the middle and we moved the ball quicker.

Player Ratings Fulop 9; McCartney 7, Ferdinand 6, Collins 7, Bardsley 7; Richardson 6 (Campbell 76 7), Cattermole 8, Malbranque 7 (Henderson ht 7), Cana 8; Bent 8, Jones 9

And, for a Bolton verdict …

Shaun O’Gara, Bolton Supporters’ Club Disappointed that the manager spent all the money on defensive players and they did not defend well. We’re crying out for a striker and a creative midfielder. Elmander struggled again – he’s not scored all year! The style of play is pretty awful and ticket sales have fallen, even though prices have dropped. A child’s season ticket is £50, but the general season ticket holders haven’t renewed. We have to beat teams like Sunderland – they’re in our mini-league.
Player Ratings Jaaskelainen 7; Robinson 4, Knight 4, Cahill 5, Ricketts 4; Taylor 5, Muamba■ 5 , S Davis 4, McCann 5 (Lee 68 5); Elmander 5 (Ward 83 n/a), K Davies■ 6