Post Match Comments
Audio Match ReportTuesday 5th September 2000
FA PREMIER LEAGUE
Stadium Of Light
Attendance:46,605
Referee: P Jones SUNDERLAND1Arca 25 WEST HAM1Suker 32MACHO HOLLOWAY GRAY MAKIN THOME KILBANE ARCA CRADDOCK HUTCHISON QUINN PHILLIPS Subs: MARIOTT FOSTER ROY WILLIAMS ROY HISLOP PEARCE STIMAC SUKER DI CANIO LOMAS COLE WINTERBURN SINCLAIR CARRICK LAMPARD Subs: BYWATER MONCUR 67 PEACOCK KELLER NEWTON THE HAMMERS battled hard to earn a worthy point at the Stadium of Light, although Harry Redknapp's troops are still scratching around for their first three points of the new Premiership season.
In an entertaining, end-to-end affair, Croatian striker, Davor Suker, cancelled out Julio Arca's debut strike for the hosts.
It took Suker just seven minutes to cancel out Arca's 25th minute strike and West Ham had the chances to go back South with the maximum points.
Sunderland, however, picked up in the second period and only some gritty defending by the away side stopped Reid's men keeping their 100 per cent home record intact.
Arca was handed a place down the left flank and Kevin Kilbane switched to the right, a move which nearly paid dividends in the first minute.
Kilbane cut inside onto his left foot after beating two players and sent a shot against the post with Shaka Hislop well beaten.
He again caused problems from the right flank minutes later, cutting inside but this time sending a shot over from a similar position.
Arca slotted into his left-sided role with equal effect and the Argentinian's combination play with Gray was a constant menace to the Hammers back-four.
Former West Ham schemer Don Hutchison, another player making his home debut, was the provider in the 14th minute when his cross was met by Jody Craddock's head and Hislop did well to save to his right.
Harry Redknapp's side started the game at the foot of the Premiership, but were buoyed by a magnificent comeback against Manchester United in their previous outing.
Frank Lampard, who did not feature in that game, found himself with the East London club's first chance in the 16th minute when his shot from the edge of the area was well held by Jurgen Macho.
Sunderland went ahead in the 25th minute and it was new boy Arca who grabbed a goal on his debut.
The little Argentinian raced to the near post to nod a Kilbane cross past Hislop.
But the Black Cats' joy was short lived as West Ham hit back in the 32nd minute and it was a goal Sunderland would rather forget.
Macho failed to deal with Di Canio's corner and Davor Suker sent a left-foot volley into the corner with the Austrian stranded.
Joe Cole, so impressive for England's Under-21s down the A19 at Middlesbrough last week, started the best move of the match in the 38th minute when he found Di Canio, whose pass put Michael Carrick clear but the midfielder shot wide.
Both sides could have found themselves in front at the interval had they finished good chances through Di Canio and Quinn.
Not surpringly the game failed to set off at the same momentum in the second half, although Quinn tested Hislop with a back-header in the 47th minute.
Phillips, subject of some tight marking by the Hammers rearguard, found half a yard and tested Hislop with a fierce drive from the edge of the area in the 59th minute as Sunderland regained the initiative.
A lot of Sunderland's good work was coming from Gray down the left, and the skipper crossed for Hutchison to head over in the 66th minute, then provided Quinn a minute later but the big striker's cut-back was intercepted by Hislop.
Sunderland were in almost total control in the second half but they were frustrated by some good defending by the away side.
Gray could barely look in the 80th minute when he gave the ball away to Di Canio, only for the Italian to shoot just wide.
Macho pulled off a tremendous one-handed save from substitute John Moncur in the dying minutes as the Hammers threatened to snatch the points, but they are still searching for their first victory of the new campaign.