Sunderland under-18s came from behind to claim a draw in their pre-season friendly against Oldham Athletic at the Academy of Light on Wednesday afternoon.
Second-half goals from Lee Connelly and Jack Diamond saw the Lads cancel out Oldham’s commanding two-goal lead at the break.
Sunderland continued to huff and puff in the second 45 but were denied victory as the post came to the visitors rescue.
With pre-season in full swing, the young Black Cats faced their second match of three over seven days, as they looked to build on Saturday’s 3-1 victory against Sheffield Wednesday.
However, the youth team suffered the worst possible start as Oldham raced into an earlier two-goal lead, both times capitalising on defensive errors which saw the hosts failed to clear their lines.
Oldham were big and powerful and they used that to their advantage as their direct approach really posed Sunderland’s defence question after question.
But Elliott Dickman’s side continued to plug away and fashioned their first attempt midway through the first period when Diamond arrowed his strike straight at Oldham’s stopper from the edge of the box.
While frustration was etched across the under-18s' faces at the break, the Lads were much improved in the second-half and really began to turn the screw in the opening five minutes.
Firstly, Jake Hackett saw his curled effort from range well saved before Connelly’s deft touch on Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka’s strike flashed just wide.
Moments later, Connelly found a way through as his burst of pace saw him get in behind Oldham’s backline and from there on there was only going to be one outcome as the Scotsman calmly slotted home his seventh goal in pre-season.
Five minutes later, Sunderland were level as Diamond smashed the Lads onto level terms after a superb free-flowing move.
Connelly, Mbunga-Kimpioka and Diamond combined well before the winger lashed the ball past Oldham's hapless keeper as Sunderland ruthlessly equalised.
The young Black Cats continued to pile forward and went close to snatching victory but the foot of the post denied Dickman's side before a well-worked set-piece flashed just wide of the mark.
Oldham were resolute though in the closing stages and held firm to earn a draw after seeing their two-goal advantage diminish with two goals in five second-half minutes.