Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland 1-0 Gillingham - Broadhead denies timewasters at the death

Anthony Patterson: 6/10

A spectator for almost every single minute of the game but did claim one dangerous ball that came into the box and looked composed with the ball at his feet.

Carl Winchester: 6/10

Didn’t do anything wrong but barely involved in an attacking sense, despite Gillingham sat deep for most of the game.

Bailey Wright: 6/10

Completely untroubled at the back.

Danny Batth: 6/10

Back into the side after injury and, just like Wright, was completely untroubled.

Dennis Cirkin: 6/10

Nothing to do defensively but got forward often to provide an overlapping option, even if that option was ignored.

Luke O’Nien: 6/10

Hit the bar with a header in the first half after running beyond Stewart but we needed him to do that a lot more with Gillingham sitting deep.

Corry Evans: 6/10

Played a good ball over the top late on for Broadhead but blazed the return over the bar, did well to follow up but both he and O’Nien were too often playing too deep. Probably should be one or the other in this type of game.

Alex Pritchard: 6/10

Did not look at his sharpest following his injury but good to see him back and he showed promising signs of link up play with both Clarke and Roberts.

Jack Clarke: 6/10

Put in a great cross for O’Nien’s header against the bar but not decisive enough for most of the game, usually had the beating of his man but allowed them to get back at him and block his late cross.

Patrick Roberts: 6/10

Like Clarke he had the beating of his man, particularly in the first half, faded after the break but was always dangerous in possession.

Ross Stewart: 6/10

For a team with three good creative midfielders behind the division’s top scorer, that top scorer was very isolated today and barely had a sniff of goal until a half chance came his way from a Gooch cross very late on. Was still running the channels and working hard deep into injury time though.

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Substitutes

Lynden Gooch: 6/10

Put in one good cross to Stewart that the striker couldn’t convert, then seemed to sum up the game with a poor bit of control that saw the ball go out for a thrown in but was then involved in the goal, pulling the ball back for Embleton to cross for the winner.

Nathan Broadhead: 6/10

Good to see him back once again and he buried the only chance that came his way.

Elliot Embleton: 7/10

Put in a great cross for the winner and he provided some much needed creativity from central midfield. Showed good movement and always trying to either get into the box himself or to play a ball into a dangerous area.

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Man of the Match: Elliot Embleton

I thought he changed the game when he came on, provided a better balance to the midfield with Evans sitting deeper allowing Embleton to get involved in attacks. Which he did to great effect with a superb ball onto the head of Broadhead.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images