Derby County U18s 1 Sunderland U18s 1: Maja conjures up vital leveller for young Black Cats

The game started slowly at a cold and windy Derby Academy, with both teams wanting to bounce back from respective defeats last week.

It remained tight throughout the first half, with cagey football from both sides.

The home side did make the breakthrough in the 75th minute, James Carvell pouncing on a Sunderland defensive error, but the visitors hit back eight minutes later when substitute Maja, back after injury, received the ball at the edge of the Rams area and beat defenders to hit home and claim a point.

Sunderland coach Elliot Dickman said afterwards: “I thought we played some good football, but we must be more patient.

“It was a poor goal to give away and we must defend better. We played good football when we were in possession but must be more ruthless in front of goal.”

Derby: Barnes, Bogle, Stabana, Cover, Macdonald; Bird, Babos, Mills; Thomas, Carvell, Jakobsen

Sunderland: Woud, Taylor (Maja 55), Casey, Storey, Hume, Molyneux, Gamble, Wright, Embleton. Subs not used: Allen, McCulloch, Poame, Diamond.