Sunderland U18 2-5 Manchester United
Sunderland under-18s fought valiantly but suffered another defeat after a strong second-half display by Manchester United in the Premier League.
The first half was an attractive end to end game with Sunderland opening well and could have easily taken a substantial lead.
Sonny Best drew a super save, Lee Connelly hit the near post and Jacob Young saw his header cleared from the line before United broke away to take the lead.
Nishan Burkhart made a fast run down the right and passed to Josh Bouki, who had pulled away from his markers to finish.
Sunderland hit back to pull level when a surging run by Owen Gamble ended with Jack Diamond crossing from the right for Ben Kimpioka to stab the ball over the line from close range.
But the visitors re-took the lead 10 minutes before the break with a 20 yard free kick by Andy Barlow which seemed to go under Sunderland keeper Michael Woud's dive.
Two goals soon after the interval saw United take over and establish a winning lead.
Buckhart hit a low shot past the keeper from 18 yards and three minutes later Ethan Hamilton made a long diagonal run left to right before hitting another low strike across and past keeper Woud.
United’s final goal was made by their two subs - first Tom Sang hit a magnificent sixty-yard pass for Zak Dearnley to control and crack home beyond the keeper.
To their credit though, the Wearsiders never gave up and five minutes before the end central defender Young scored with a looping header.
It gave a more realistic reflection to the final score line of a very entertaining game.
Speaking post-match, Elliott Dickman said: "The two early second half goals killed the game off after we had a good first period that could have established an interval lead but the second half was very disappointing".
Sunderland: Woud, Gamble, McAughtrie, Allan, Storey, Young, Best (Taylor 45), Hackett (Krusnel 65), Connelly, Diamond (Hickey 69), Kimpioka.
Man Utd: Fojtick, Tanner, Spratt, Barrett, O'Connor, Whelan (Sang 64), Boonan (Ercolani 70), Hamilton, Burkhart (Dearnley 64), Barlow, Bouhi.