The newly-appointed boss was in the stands at Eppleton CW as goals from Luke Charman and Victor Fernandez sentenced the Black Cats to defeat. But how did the individuals in Elliot Dickman’s squad perform? We’ve dished out our player ratings from the Premier League 2 clash – scroll down and click through the pages to see who shone and struggled for Sunderland’s second string:
9. Williams Kokolo
Had little chance to influence the game and was withdrawn as Sunderland looked to shore up their defence following Taylor's dismissal. 5 Photo: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC
10. Dan Neil
A yellow card curtailed his impact, but the youngster performed admirably and put in some crucial interceptions. 6 Photo: JPI
11. Cieran Dunne
At times in the first half, the winger looked to be Sunderland's brightest spark. His involvement faded after the interval, though. 6 Photo: FRANK REID
12. Andrias Edmundson
The young defender helped fill in at the back alongside Bainbridge after Taylor saw red and put in a solid performance. Plenty to build on for the centre back. Photo: Clive Brunskill