Sunderland goalkeeper Alex Bass scores dramatic stoppage-time goal to salvage point against Newcastle United U21s

Joe White’s first-half strike looked as if it had secured a win for the hosts but a red card for Jay Turner-Cooke eventually proved crucial as Bass converted a late corner following a wave of Sunderland pressure.

The goalkeeper wasn’t done there, either, making a superb late save to prevent his side form falling to defeat.

Sunderland had a big opportunity early on when Zak Johnson rose to meet Taylor’s corner, but could only head wide of the far post. Both sides were threatening, with Westendorf seeing an effort deflected wide before Bass was forced into a good save.

Sunderland’s best moments were invariably coming through Ba, who was drifting away from his opposition midfielders with impressive ease. For Newcastle it was Joe White who was causing problems as he had done last season, missing a couple of shooting opportunities from the edge of the area.

A good move from Murty’s side saw Huggins shift the ball out to Newall on the edge of the area, but from a promising position he could only drag an effort past the far post. Within five minutes the hosts were ahead – Bass making a superb save initially but when his side switched off from the corner a clever routine allowed White to drive at goal and rifle a powerful effort into the roof of the net.

Sunderland had played some good football at time but off the ball there had regularly been gaps for Newcastle to exploit and White had threatened regularly.

The visitors did go close to levelling before the break, Newall drawing a save from Smith as he met Taylor’s cross at the back post. From close range he arguably should have done better.

Bennette replaced Ba at the break and though the Costa Rican immediately began to cause problems down the left flank chances were few and far between for Murty’s side, with White again coming closest to scoring with an effort from distance.

Sunderland began to threaten on the hour mark and were adamant that they should have had a penalty when Thompson turned to shoot in the box, his trailing leg clearly caught by the defender. The referee waved play on, and minutes later went close as Smith made an excellent double save in the box. The ball fell to Taylor on the edge of the box and his effort was deflected inches wide of the post.

Murty’s side were beginning to dominate the contest and were given a big advantage heading into the last ten minutes when Turner-Cooke was shown a second yellow card for tangling with Bass as the goalkeeper tried to launch a counter-attack.

Sunderland initially struggled to make that advantage pay but they were inches away from drawing level when Crompton rose to meet Taylor’s cross and headed an effort off the inside of the post.

It looked as if that would be that but with less than a minute to play Bass met a corner with a thundering header. It struck the inside of the post but then hit the goalkeeper flush in the face and rolled over the line to secure the point in the most dramatic of finishes.

Sunderland XI: Bass; Huggins, Johnson, Crompton, Newall; Ba (Bennette, 45), Matete (Burke, 64), Gardiner; Spellman (Kachosa, 89), Thompson, Taylor

Subs: Richardson, Burke, Jessup

Newcastle United XI: Smith, Barclay, Bondswell, Miley (Huntley, 75), Brookwell, Murphy, Scott (Diallo, 70) , Turner-Cooke, Westendorf (Ndiweni, 85), White, Stephenson

Subs: Wiggett, Brown