Hapless Proctor shoots Sunderland in both feet

Sunderland 1 Charlton Athletic 3

They have been asking questions on Tyneside lately. So what do you call an Oxo cube wearing a Sunderland shirt? A laughing stock, though nobody at the Stadium of Light yesterday was greatly amused by the players in red and white. Sunderland's season of strife hit a new low as they sank to the bottom of the Premiership with a defeat that was self- inflicted in Keystone Cops fashion.

If the Wearsiders have struggled with their shooting all season, at least the aim at their own feet was accurate yesterday. They found all four scoring touches in the game. Unfortunately for manager Howard Wilkinson and his desperately struggling team, however, the first three were made on behalf of their grateful opponents. Two came courtesy of Michael Proctor and, although Mark Fish claimed the opening goal for Charlton, it looked suspiciously like an own goal too, as his shot had been generously helped on its way into the home net by Stephen Wright and Tore Andre Flo.

At least Kevin Phillips managed to score for his own side, from the penalty spot in the 81st minute, but eight minutes of first-half madness brought the spectre of First Division football into sharp focus for the woeful Wearsiders. West Bromwich's victory at Maine Road put them bottom of the table for the first time this season and, with just one win in their last 12 matches and confidence running low, the downward momentum is gathering pace.

"There's not a lot you can do about that," lamented Wilkinson afterwards. "It was unbelievable. I've never been involved in a game, or watched a game, where there were three own-goals. We could only deal with the consequences and, despite the bad luck we had, we didn't capitulate. I certainly don't accept the inevitability of relegation. I genuinely think we will get out of it."

That remains to be seen. Sunderland's spirited second-half performance came after the game was effectively up. They were struggling to cope with the craft and clout of the Charlton midfield even before luck turned against them in the 24th minute. When Claus Jensen swung over a left-wing corner, the home defence did have the chance to clear the danger, but Fish hooked a right-foot shot that hit Flo and Wright en route to the net. Ladbrokes credited the goal to Fish, much to the delight of the few who had invested in the South African as a 50-1 shot to open the scoring. There was no doubt, though, that the two Charlton goals which swiftly followed were scored by Sunderland players.

Five minutes later, Chris Powell scythed through the right side of the home defence and his low shot was beaten out by Thomas Sorensen but cannoned into the net off the knees of Proctor.

The young striker could barely believe his misfortune, but in the 32nd minute he was on the scoresheet for Charlton again, after Jensen's left-wing corner had struck him on the shoulder and diverted past Sorensen.

The boos rang round the ground and there were jeers at the half-time whistle, too. But the Sunderland fans – and there were 36,000 of them in attendance – showed the depth of their support after the interval. Even though Jason Euell missed three clear chances for Charlton, the home players were cheered from the start to the finish of the half, and 10 minutes from the end there was finally something to celebrate. Flo was felled under a challenge by Jonathan Fortune and Phillips drilled the penalty past Dean Kiely.

But it was only the fourth League goal of the season by the formerly lethal predator and small consolation as Sunderland hit rock-bottom.

Sunderland 1
Phillips pen 81

Charlton Athletic 3
Fish 24, Proctor og 29, Proctor og 32

Half-time: 0-3 Attendance: 36,042