Darlington 2-0 Sunderland U21s
Sunderland under-21s were defeated by a well-organised Darlington side in their third pre-season friendly at the Northern Echo Arena on Tuesday evening.
Kev Burgess headed the hosts in front after just three minutes before Nathan Cartman’s goal on 25 minutes proved enough to seal victory for the Vanarama National League North side.
Andy Welsh’s side dominated the bulk of the game but were made to rue their missed chances as Charis Mavrias, Michael Ledger and Elliot Embleton all spurned good opportunities.
On the back of two pleasing displays in their opening pre-season fixtures, Welsh’s young guns headed to Darlington looking to continue their preparations ahead of the 2016-17 U21 Premier League campaign.
But with the Lads about to jet off to sunnier climes, Darlington provided the last test for the youngsters before they are put through their paces in the Spanish heat.
Sticky humid conditions made the first period particularly challenging, and Burgess inflicted the worst possible start on the young Black Cats as his neat header had just too much on it despite stopper Max Stryjek’s best attempts to keep the ball out.
The Lads fought back but failed to really test Peter Jameson as Jordi Gomez blazed an effort over the bar on seven minutes before Mavrias failed to make clean contact with the ball after Dan Casey’s intricate ball through.
With possession in abundance, Sunderland’s flurry of chances was short lived and as the clocked ticked over 25 minute mark, Cartman doubled the hosts’ lead.
Adam Mitchell showed good feet inside the area to breeze past a host of bodies and while his neat flick looked goal-bound, Cartman made sure as he slammed the ball home from close range.
Mavrias went close to halving the deficit on 38 minutes after a deft dip of his shoulder worked some space well, however his effort lacked conviction.
Sunderland continued to rally before the break and while Gomez sliced a volley inside the area, Ledger then failed to hit the target with a header when he was unmarked from seven yards.
With a host of changes at the break, the young Black Cats settled into their groove quickly and displayed much sharper passes as they looked to carve open Darlington’s rearguard.
Embleton, one of the new faces to enter the fray at the break, soon took the game by the scruff of the neck and linked play well between the midfield and the forward line.
With bags of confidence, Embleton worked his first chance of the evening well as he demonstrated a quick feint on the edge of the box before bending his right footed attempt just round the far post.
Sunderland continued to huff and puff as they dominated proceedings, but in the end they just couldn’t find a way through and were made to rue their earlier missed chances.
Sunderland under-21s first-half starting XI: Stryjek, Matthews, Casey, Ledger, Brady, Bridcutt, Gomez, Wright, Trialist, Mavrias, Buckley
Sunderland under-21s second-half starting XI: Talbot, Storey, Casey, Brady, Wright, Bridcutt, Embleton, Trialist, Gomez, Lawson, Trialist