Sunderland Under-23s suffer disappointing home defeat to Reading as Under-18s narrowly beaten by Middlesbrough

Sunderland Under-23s suffered a disappointing 4-0 home defeat to Reading at Hetton.
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The Black Cats had goalkeeper Ahmed Abdelkader sent off for a handball outside his penalty area in the second half.

Josh Barrett, Tyler Frost, Michael Olise were on the scoresheet, a stunning second from Frost completed the scoring late on for the visitors to cap another disappointing afternoon for Elliott Dickman’s Sunderland Under-23 side.

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SAFC: Abdelkader, Kokolo, Taylor, Edmundsson, Bainbridge, Gamble, Mumba, Sammut, Neil, Dunne, Connelly.

Meanwhile, Sunderland Under-18s suffered a close 3-4 defeat by Middlesbrough in the FA Premier Youth game at Rockcliffe on Saturday, writes Neville Pilkington.

The performance was all the more credible considering that they had ten players unavailable through either injury or suspension.

Included was Cole Kiernan, the captain and leading goal scorer who had collected five yellow cards and was consequently out for the game.

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However, his deputy was sixteen year old centre forward Joe Hugill from Durham who scored on his U-18 debut and played really well. Already six foot two, he looked a real prospect throughout in his first full game at this level.

Boro took an early lead after only six minutes when Green scored with a 15 yard shot.

Sunderland came back with the Boro keeper making a good save from a one-on-one with Hugill. The same player was later clean through and brought down.

It looked a clear penalty but nothing was awarded. Just before the break, James Foster hit the post from 20 yards.

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Early in the second period a Hugill shot went just wide but Sunderland finally did get the break through on the hour mark when Jack Armstrong headed home from a Louie Watts corner.

Seven minutes later, the Wearsiders took the lead when Foster's strong shot was parried by the keeper and Hugill followed up to score from close range.

However, two goals by Gibson and Coburn in two minutes swung the game the home sides way on 72 and 74 minutes to make it 3-2.

They added a fourth on 84 minutes when Harry Ord fouled in the area and Gibson got his second from the spot.

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The young Black Cats never gave up and got a third in the last minute when Lillian Kompper scored from a penalty to make the final score 4-3 to the Teessiders.

Sunderland coach Paul Bryson said: “There were more positives than negatives considering the very young side we were forced to play.”

Sunderland: Newman, Armstrong, Krakue, Ord, Smith (Turner-Cooke 75), Wombwell, Watts, Foster, Dicchio (Kompper 53), Hugill, Pye.

Subs not used: Cameron, Barnet.