Jon McLaughlin made a huge error as Phil Parkinson’s Black Cats threw away a lead in their FA Cup draw with League One rivals Gillingham.
During the first round of the FA Cup this weekend, a poor goalkeeper was forced to jump over the advertising hoardings and sprint into the stands to collect a loose ball that had been fired over his crossbar.
Why? Because there wasn’t a soul on the terraces behind the home side’s goal. But this bizarre incident didn’t take place at Chippenham Town, Hayes and Yeading or Dover Athletic.
This was Sunderland.
Just 8,000 souls braved the miserable conditions to see Saturday’s 1-1 FA Cup Round One draw against Gillingham at an almost empty, skeletal Stadium of Light, 41,000 below capacity. And those hardy few were forced to watch on in horror as Scotland international goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin gifted the Gills an equaliser, channelling his inner Massimo Taibi to spill an Olly Lee free kick into his own net.
Blunderland
It was a horrific mistake – one that visiting coach Steve Evans certainly won’t have been expecting.
“If you are Phil [Parkinson], you are disappointed,” the outspoken Scot told the Chronicle. “I know Jon and he’s an outstanding goalkeeper. If you don’t get that mistake I would be sat here devastated not to be in the competition.”
McLaughlin was arguably Sunderland’s best player last season but his form has dipped alarmingly in 2019/20. The fact he played in the cup at all this weekend sums up how far he has fallen with summer signing Lee Burge replacing him in the starting XI.
On Saturday’s evidence, Burge is probably here to stay.
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