Sunderland midfielder Dan Wright joins South Shields on loan

Bosses Lee Picton and Graham Fenton – whose table-topping side host Mossley in the Evo-Stik North today – will have Wright available for the next month. His deal runs until February 11.

He has played for England at Under-16, U17 and U18 levels but has found Under-23 football hard to come by for the Black Cats this term.

Nevertheless, he heads to Mariners Park in good spirits, following a well-taken double in last weekend’s 2-1 Premier League 2 victory over Derby.

Meanwhile, Sunderland Under-23s entertain Chelsea in Premier League 2 tomorrow. The game, at Eppleton CW, kicks off at noon.

Sunderland Under-23s have been drawn away to Northern League club Dunston UTS in the Durham Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

The tie, which is scheduled to be played by February 3, will be Sunderland’s first visit to Dunston in almost 30 years.

Their last visit was a group tie in the shortlived Durham Senior Cup when the Tyneside club were big-hitters in the Wearside League.

Quarter-final draw: Spennymoor Town v Shildon, Easington Colliery v Consett, Dunston UTS v Sunderland Under-23s, Hartlepool United v South Shields