It would appear that results are secondary to performance at this level, it may be that it is the correct way forward, I am not so sure, a slight worry is the subtle change in emphasis in the above coverage which hints at complacency to me. It may be that these things are cyclical at this level and player development is the single objective, next season should provide more proof as to whether this is the case, one thing is for certain in Carney we have another superb No 1 in the pipeline who for me is even now the second best keeper at the club.
Sunderland AFC U23 2-1 Birmingham City U23 Sunderland Under-23s made a long-awaited return to winning ways on Monday night, defeating Birmingham City 2-1 in the final Premier League 2 game at Eppleton this season. Ellis Taylor struck both goals in the first half for the young Lads, with first a penalty and then a terrific strike which proved decisive, before Birmingham pulled one back after the break through Josh Williams. The Lads produced great determination and graft throughout the second half to preserve the lead, and now head into the final game of the league season at Southampton on Sunday on a winning note. A notable inclusion in the matchday squad was that of Lee Burge, who made an eagerly anticipated return following his recovery from heart complications after a bout of Covid-19 in January. Three trialists also took to the pitch and impressed, with Taylor leading the line with the captain’s armband. Chances were at a premium during the first quarter of the game, with Vinnie Steels having to be replaced by Nicky Gyimah early on due to a hamstring issue. Jobe Bellingham had the first of Birmingham’s efforts to force Burge into action, as he then did well to tip over Williams’ chance later in the half. The opening goal went Sunderland’s way via the penalty spot after a well-worked attack, masterminded by a pinpoint long ball forward by Harrison Sohna, finding Gyimah who drew the foul in the box from Blues ‘keeper Alfie Brooks. Taylor stepped up, and duly drilled the penalty low into the bottom-left corner. And four minutes later, the skipper for the night wasted no time in doubling the lead, hitting a left-footed screamer from 25 yards which sailed over Brooks’ head and into the top corner of the net. Two crucial blocks in quick succession from Ethan Kachosa and Cameron Jessup then denied Birmingham an instant response, as the sides went in at the interval at a 2-0 scoreline. The second half saw chances once again dry up, but a gritty defensive display helped see out the win – especially needed after Williams halved the deficit with a neat side-footed finish past Burge after finding space in the area. A chance each then went amiss as Caden Kelly curled a shot wide from 20 yards, before Kieron Wakefield put a shot wide after getting in behind. The young Lads did however secure the three points, a win which was in the making. SUNDERLAND AFC U23: Burge; Trialist A (Bainbridge 55’), Trialist B, Jessup, Kachosa; Sohna, Scott; Trialist C, Kelly, Steels (Gyimah 16’); Taylor ©. Subs not used: Carney, Jones, Fieldson.
Its a change from the string of defeats thats for sure , next season will tell us more about the competence behind the running of the academy.
Another defeat for our U23 team, we will see what next season brings, Carney apart, this season has been disjointed and disappointing imo. Southampton B 1-0 Sunderland AFC U23 Sunderland Under-23s’ final Premier League 2 match of the season ended in slender defeat by Southampton B in front of over 800 fans at St Mary’s Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Thierry Small struck the winning goal 11 minutes from time, in a game where clear-cut chances were at a premium at either end. The result confirms Sunderland have finished 13th in the PL2 Division 2 table for 2021-22. Four trialists featured on the day for the young Lads on the South Coast, alongside what was mainly a mixture of first-year professionals and U18 scholars for whom the stepped-up experience will have been vital in recent weeks. Southampton passed up the two best opportunities of the first half, as Rylee Wright stretched to poke a square pass just wide, and Luke Pearce dragged a shot off target after creating himself space. One of the Lads’ three starting trialists, playing up top, fired a strike just over the crossbar on the stroke of half-time with a chance to go in ahead at the break. After Jack Turner had glanced a header wide and Jacob Carney had denied another opportunity, with the Sunderland defence standing firm, their resistance was broken in the 79th minute as Small received the ball from substitute Lewis Payne and fired into the bottom corner. The Academy will now regroup its Under-23 setup over the summer and start to rebuild ahead of 2022-23. SUNDERLAND AFC U23: Carney ©; Kachosa, Johnson, Jessup (Fieldson 84’), Bainbridge; Sohna, Scott; Trialist A (Gyimah 67’), Kelly, Trialist B; Trialist C (Trialist D 67’). Subs not used: Bond.
