On This Day ( 28th March 1998): Bury At The SoL – A Crucial Win On The Road To Wembley
With tensions high and Sunderland sat in second place going into the final run-in of the season, Peter Reid’s side won an important game against Bury.
Sunderland manager Peter Reid makes his point (Photo by Neal Simpson/EMPICS via Getty Images) | PA Images via Getty Images In what will always be remembered as ‘that play-off final’ – the epic 4–4 draw with Charlton Athletic and the subsequent penalty defeat – the 1997/98 season was, or so very nearly, a wonderful year for SAFC. As part of a powerful run-in to the end of the season, we played Bury at the Stadium of Light. Matches against a struggling Bury team should have been an easier three points than they turned out to be.
The Shakers forced the home side and their fans to go through a few periods of agony before Super Kevin Phillips eventually sealed the three points for the Black Cats from the penalty spot after he himself had been brought down in the box. The win was mostly inspired by the forging runs of Mickey Gray at left-back, and the tough tackling of Lee Clark in the centre of midfield – although there were several nominations for man of the match. Although the Tynesider never did lose his allegiance to those of a black and white persuasion (as his t-shirt blunder later on showed), he nevertheless put in a workmanlike and energetic performance to turn this game around, after Bryan Small had volleyed Bury into the lead with their first shot on target in the game, in the 28th minute.
Clark was at the fulcrum of much of the Lads’ play, and his equaliser just before half-time settled nerves. His 12th goal of the season was a conversion born out of guts and determination, rather than any silky skills. The Wearsiders, who had looked like they were playing well within themselves before going behind, were initially rattled and lost their rhythm for a while after that.
But it was Clark who took control of the game, playing a neat return pass with Phillips inside the Bury box, before thrashing the ball home past their keeper Keily. In the 69th minute, Phillips was bundled over in the box by Small, and referee Butler had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Super Kev gratefully accepted his 27th goal of the season.