safc.com’s Sam Lightle analyses the action as Mark Atkinson’s under-18s entertain Sheffield Wednesday at the Academy of Light.
SUMMARY
Sunderland under-18s continued their pre-season preparations with a hard fought 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday. The Black Cats were handed the lead through a venomous 30-yard effort from a trialist striker with 35 minutes on the clock. But the visitors hit back on the stroke of half-time when skipper Ciaran Brennan turned a corner home with a glancing header.
ON TRIAL
The arrival of Wednesday, like Oldham Athletic, provided Mark Atkinson with an ideal chance to once again assess a selection of lads on trial. Lee Connolly was joined up front with one while their make shift back five was supported by scholars Tom Howard and Anthony Patterson. Jordan Hickey began the afternoon in the middle of the park, clocking up more minutes on his return from an injury he picked up at the end of last season.
POINT TO PROGRESS
As fine rain lashed down onto the showcase pitch on kick-off, Atkinson would’ve been searching for positives following Saturday’s late collapse which saw Oldham Athletic gain a draw. While the wind and rain provided its own difficulties, Anthony Patterson was in inspired form early on to deny Wednesday an opening goal, tipping the effort from the visitor’s loan striker over the bar. Connolly led the charge back, pressing high to force Wednesday’s stopper to slam the ball out of play. The Scot’s hard work almost paid dividends as he bent an effort a fraction wide before later seeing his effort from range flick behind for a corner.
PATT ON THE BACK
As the first period wore on the visitors began to look the more likely to open the scoring, testing the Black Cats’ stopper with multiple strikes, one from range and then a close-range volley which was acrobatically connected with six-yards out after a cross from the left. Patterson stood firm to hold both attempts, keeping the lads in the friendly and providing them with the impetuous to get in front. With 35 minutes on the clock, Sunderland’s striker trialist capitalised on a yard of space 30 yards from goal and lashed home a thunderous strike. Wow. That deserved a pat on the back. And it should’ve been 2-0 shortly after, strong play from McAughtrie saw him hold the defending off before flashing a left-footed strike inches wide of the far post.
ALL LEVEL
Wednesday hit back on the stroke of half-time, though. A corner from the right was swung in, and a darting run towards the near post wasn’t picked up by any Black Cat, allowing the visitors’ skipper the opportunity to glance his header across goal unmarked. The header flew across goal, soaring through a host of bodied and into the roof of the net after an outstretched leg attempted to clear it. Both sides continued to battle tirelessly in the second period, with chances at either end. But neither team could muster a winning goal in the second period and the lads remain unbeaten in their pre-season campaign.
Sunderland under-18s starting XI: Patterson, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Howard, McAughtrie, Hickey, Scothern, Slack, Connolly, Trialist.