Whitley Bay 0-5 Sunderland U23
Connor Shields stole the show with a hat-trick as Sunderland under-23s stepped up their pre-season preparations with a convincing victory over Whitley Bay on Saturday.
Australian defender Jacob Young broke the deadlock on 29 minutes after a tight start when he headed home a corner.
Then, just two minutes later, Shields scored his first of two in the space of as many minutes – firing home from the edge of the box before netting an identical second moments later into the opposite side.
New boy Jack Bainbridge added a fourth in the second 45, capitalising on Jack Connolly’s ball over the top. The ‘keeper parried and the former Everton and Swansea City man was on hand to turn home his first in Sunderland colours.
Scottish striker Shields then sealed his hat-trick as the Black Cats hit Whitley Bay for five on the hour mark to wrap up a strong showing from Elliott Dickman’s side.
Sunderland U23: Patterson, Hunter Kokolo, Bale, Storey, Young, Diamond, Gamble, Shields, Connolly, Connelly.
Subs: Bainbridge, Trialist, Best, Derbali, Leonard, Brotherton