Sunderland vs West Ham match report: Sam Allardyce angry but Gus Poyet at wit’s end

Sunderland 1 West Ham 1: Jordi Gomez scored after referee Phil Dowd awarded a controversial penalty but England midfielder soon pulled Hammers level

Kevin Nolan remonstrates with Phil Dowd after he awards Sunderland a penalty (Getty Images)

In one way this game summed up the mission impossible that scoring has become for Sunderland this season – just 13 goals in 15 League games going into this match.

First, West Ham manager Sam Allardyce reckoned the home side should never had had the chance to score the goal they did manage yesterday, angrily accusing the assistant referee of missing a dive that won Sunderland a penalty. Then, when presented with a more definitive chance, Jozy Altidore missed a sitter.

The man accused of diving was Adam Johnson, who had gone through on the right side of the West Ham penalty area. The central defender James Tomkins came across to shadow the run and put his body next to the winger. There seemed the smallest of contact and Johnson went over, the resulting penalty converted by Jordi Gomez.

“It’s a dive. I’ve seen four angles,” said Allardyce, pointing the finger of blame at David Bryan, referee Phil Dowd’s assistant, who he had forcibly informed of his mistake from the technical area.

“The assistant referee has made the wrong decision,” added the West Ham manager. “If he doesn’t see that’s a dive then it’s concerning. Jonno knew he was going nowhere and the ball was going out of play. He thought, ‘I’ll have a little fall down because the referee has to make a decision.’ It went in his favour.”

It will be interesting to see if Allardyce faces any disciplinary action for his remarks. Yesterday his bleak mood was only appeased just before the half-hour when his side drew level. Kevin Nolan played a pass to Stewart Downing, who drilled a low shot that took a deflection off Gomez in his attempt to block it that was enough to beat goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, low to his right.

Kevin Nolan remonstrates with Phil Dowd after he awards Sunderland a penalty (Getty Images)

“To recover from the penalty decision shows good character,” said a calmed-down Allardyce. “It’s the third time we’ve come from behind in the last three games.”

As for the missed sitter, that gift was spurned on the stroke of half-time. Seb Larsson’s cross found Altidore, and even by his standards – two Premier League goals in 66 appearances – he should have found the net, especially as it was empty. But he mistimed his run so badly that the ball actually struck his hand. “He was devastated,” said manager Gus Poyet. “I said to him, ‘Don’t stop. It’s gone, look for the next one.’ He didn’t have another one.”

Gomez scores from the penalty spot to put Sunderland ahead (Getty Images)

Afterwards Poyet admitted that his side’s failing as an attacking force was dragging him down.

“This is not how I want the team to play,” he said. “I’m getting a bit frustrated now. I’m here to win games. I want to win games. At the moment it is not possible. It takes a lot from the players to get a point.

“If a player doesn’t get player of the moment in the next few weeks it will be like this the whole season and it will be difficult. It will not be enjoyable.”

Downing scores the equaliser (Getty Images)

At the death it could have been worse. Andy Carrol struck the ball low and hard from 18 yards, but narrowly wide of the near Sunderland post.

Line-ups:

Sunderland: (4-1-4-1) Pantilimon; Vergini, O’Shea, Brown, Reveillere; Cattermole; Johnson (Alvarez, 70), Larsson, Gomez, Wickham; Altidore (Fletcher, 62).

West Ham: (4-3-3) Adrian; Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell; Kouyate, Song, Nolan (Valencia, 81); Sakho, Carroll, Downing.

Referee: Phil Dowd.

Man of the match: Downing (West Ham)

Match rating: 5/10