Sunderland Res 3 Walsall Res 0 Stuart Vose Sunderland captured the Tote Cup trophy with a hard-fought win over Walsall at Eppleton CW. Keith Bertschin's young side were pushed all the way by the League One outfit but eventually prevailed thanks to goals from Jordan Cook and a brace from Oumare Tounkara. Cook netted from the penalty spot four minutes before the break and goalkeeper Trevor Carson led a brave resistance before Tounkara made the game safe with a double blast in the closing minutes. The win secured a first piece of silverware for the development squad under the tutelage of Keith Bertschin, who will lead his side into a new Barclays Premier Reserve League campaign next week. Carson was called into action early on, pulling off a good one-handed save to deny George Bowerman after he shrugged off his marker 12 yards out. But Sunderland responded well, with Walsall keeper David Grof somehow getting his body in the way of John Egan's drive following a 15th-minute corner. Tounkara twice came close, just missing Michael Liddle's tantalising cross and then side-footing wide from 12 yards following good play from Jordan Laidler. The hosts were ahead four minutes before the break when James Armstrong was shoved inside the box and Cook stepped up to ram the penalty into the top corner. The Sunderland striker started the second half hungry for more goals, coming close when he curled a shot just wide from the edge of the box five minutes after the restart. Only a timely goal-line block from Liam Bagnall prevented Walsall from getting back into the game with 20 minutes to play as the visitors made a push for an equaliser. And keeper Carson - assured throughout - made a super save to deny sub Liam Maher soon afterwards, getting a hand on the Walsall man's powerful shot before seeing the loose ball trickle inches past the post. Sunderland were grateful to Carson again with eight minutes to play as he somehow got across to scoop a Bowerman half-volley out of the top corner. It was a timely intervention from the Northern Irishman as the hosts doubled their money four minutes from time. Egan slid an angled ball through for Tounkara, who held off the defender and slipped the ball past Grof to seal victory. Then the big Frenchman put the icing on the cake in stoppage time when he stole in to drive a right-wing cross from Cook high into the net from six yards. Sunderland: Carson, Bagnall, Liddle, Reed (Marrs, 90), Egan, Laing, Mitchell, Armstrong (Elliott, 78), Tounkara, Laidler (Gorrin, 81), Cook. Subs Not Used: Watson, Pickford. Walsall: Grof, Beevers, Benning, Forde, Tank, Smith, Deards, Botfield (Cresswell, 77), Bowerman, Butlin (Maher, 60), Paterson (Williams, 62). Subs Not Used: George, Morris. Hopefully the first of many this season....!!!
Good on the them, hopefully it'll spur them on and give them the impetus to push for the first team. Can only make us stronger
He seemed to do well in the pre-season. I think the jury is still out as to whether he could cope with the EPL, but the signs are getting better for the Tank
