Mel Holden's winner ended Sunderland's longest ever league goal drought, stretching back to 23 November and 10 games to the previous scoring game. Unusually for the time, this match was played on a Friday night. This was intended from the original publication of the fixtures, as Newcastle v Middlesbrough was scheduled for the Saturday. Ironically, the Tyne-Tees derby was postponed - somewhat controversally as the weather wasn't that bad - at the end of a week that had seen Gordon Lee resign and Richard Dinnis be appointed (on the Friday) in his place as the Magpies boss.