Steve's relieved at win - that's for sure!
IT'S a shame Steve Bruce has given up his favourite catchphrase because this was a night for Sunderland fans to remember – that's for sure!
Those three little words are banned from the manager's lips now after a season's overuse.
But there were plenty of others ready to trip off his lips last night: "Bent's three goals"; "another clean sheet", "Sunderland's deserved win".
And the boss will be happy if phrases like that become clichs in the remaining games of the season.
After a winter of discontent, the relief of his side's first win in 15 games was etched across Steve Bruce's face last night.
Incredibly, the victory put Sunderland on 30 points with 10 games remaining - holding out the prospect after this epic winless run, that the Wearsiders might yet coast to safety comfortably.
Bruce hopes that's the case but last night he was just allowing the tension to ease off on the back of a vital victory, after going through the mill in the past three months.
"It has been a long time, a long, long time in coming, but it feels sweet to finally get that win," he sighed.
"It has been tough but I'm pleased for everyone concerned at the club and I'm glad we've got the victory.
"But it is only the one and we've got to press on now.
"I can't believe it has been so long, but I think that the run disguises the fact that several times we've been within sight of victory, only to miss out on the three points with the final kick of the game.
"With a bit of luck in our favour we could easily have been half a dozen points better off and looking at a completely different scenario."
Those wins wouldn't come though, and that has left fans and pundits openly speculating about Bruce's job should Sunderland not have performed well last night.
"There was pressure on us," admitted Bruce. "Real pressure.
"But a goal after 40 seconds makes a massive difference, and in the end it was a victory and a resounding one at that.
"I don't think there can be any argument about the result when you look at the scoreline and I think we deserved it.
"We needed it and hopefully with 10 games to go we can remain settled and injury free and see the end of the season through well."
'Goals change games', is another clich - but Bruce felt that was exactly what happened for Sunderland last night.
"Getting the first goal inside the first minute was exactly what I would have asked for," he reflected.
"But it was the second goal that settled us down. It came at just the right time.
"The win gets the monkey off our back of the winless run.
"There have been times when I've wondered how we haven't been a whole lot better off – conceding goals so late on, so regularly.
"But the supporters have been different class, and I'm pleased for them.
"They came to the Stadium of Light in their numbers, and they deserve every credit."
Bruce poured rich praise on Darren Bent for goals 16, 17 and 18 of his season.
But he said Steed Malbranque was his personal man of the match – the midfielder putting his disciplinary lapses behind him to produce one of his very best performances in a Sunderland shirt.
"Steed has had a tough couple of weeks, as I think has been well-documented, but today he was easily the best player on the field for me," said Bruce.
Sometimes, the Sunderland manager's post-match Press conferences are lengthy affairs, but this was one of the briefest of the season. He can be forgiven for that.
He simply wanted to escape as soon as possible and take time to let it all sink in.
It had been the worst run of his managerial career, and he has been wounded by it more than most might imagine.
But one thing is certain, and that is that he will come back stronger from it. That's for sure.
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Weather for Jarrow
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -0 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
