Sunderland 6 Norwich 1
A tremendous display with clinical finishing by Sunderland tore Norwich apart to send them through to the fourth round of the Youth Cup at the Stadium of Light last night.
In front of watching Sunderland manager Roy Keane, Norwich were completely out classed with some of the second half passing as crisp as the cold night air.
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The final score could have been even greater, such was Sunderland's superiority and ability to open up a poor City defence almost at will.
Strangely, it was a quiet opening spell but the game burst into life with three goals in six minutes. The young Black Cats made the break through on 22 minutes when City keeper Luke Emson panicked after being closed down by Martyn Waghorn.
His poor clearance went straight to Jordan Henderson who spotted that Emson was now off his line and took aim from 35 yards.
Emson back-peddled furiously but had to watch Henderson's lob sail past him into the top corner.
However, City were level within a minute with Danny Kelly forcing Damon Lathrope's corner home at the far post after his downward header had been blocked.
But five minutes later, the host's lead was restored when Waghorn rose and twisted in mid air to flick home a fierce header from Henderson's in-swinging corner from the left.
Shortly before the break, the lead was doubled when mid fielders Adam Reed's shot was deflected in off the knee of City scorer Kelly to completely wrong foot the helpless keeper giving him no chance what so ever.
Reed took a knock later and was replaced by Jordan Cook after the interval and after a relatively quiet spell Sunderland stepped up to increase the lead and make the game safe.
On 57 minutes, the alert Josh Home-Jackson intercepted a pass and raced away down the left before unselfishly rolling the ball across goal. Waghorn came into claim a second confidently side footing home into the empty net.
In the 67th minute, City could have pulled one back when Sunderland keeper Martin Hunter spilled a cross but sub Nick Davey blasted wide from a great central position.
The miss goaded Sunderland into even greater efforts and sub Ryan Noble, an U16 striker, got the fifth after only being on the field for two minutes.
His first touch partially controlled a ball from Michael Kay down the right – his second moved the ball on – and his third guided the bouncing ball past Emson with his thigh as the keeper came out.
The youngster in the blue boots celebrated deliriously on his knees in front of the main stand.
Two minutes from the end, Waghorn got a well deserved hat-trick. The South Shields striker was sent clear with a superbly weighted ball over the top from Henderson straight down the middle of a dissolving City defence. The leading youth goal scorer coolly slotted home left footed low in to the corner to complete the crushing demolition.
It had been beautifully executed and devastating in its outcome for the Canaries.
It sent Kevin Ball's lads on their way to another home tie at the Stadium against either Blackpool or Macclesfield in the next round.
On this showing they will take some stopping.
Coach Ball was still not completely satisfied however, saying afterwards: "We had a comfortable half time lead, but then rather rested on our laurels for a spell. But then we really pushed on and could have scored even more to gain a thoroughly deserved victory."
Academy Director Ged McNamee summed up by saying: "We were good in spells and gained a comfortable win. Several of the side had played at the Stadium last season and this helped us to relax. Norwich kept going, but they caught us on a good night.
Sunderland (4-4-2) Hunter, Kay, Corforth, McArdle, Hourihane (Adams 80), Henderson, Reed (Cook 46), Colback, Luscombe, Home-Jackson (Noble 74), Waghorn. Subs not used: Wilson, Slegg.
Norwich: Emson (Habergham 86), Cooper, O'Tool, Kelly D (Stephens 78), McLean, Kelly R, Lathrope, Miller, Smith (Davey 57), Yong, Daley. Sub not used: Stephens D, Adeyemi, Dawkin, Ref: Chirs Brumwell.
Attendance: 487
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Friday 10 February 2012
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