Sunderland Under-21s continued their pre-season schedule with a 2-1 defeat to Darlington FC at Blackwell Meadows. The hosts took the lead shortly before half-time through an own goal by Luke Bell. Despite Jack Whittaker pulling Sunderland level early in the second half, Jack Maskell secured the win for the Quakers with a late header at the back post. Head Coach Graeme Murty named two development squads for the friendly, with the first half primarily featuring players from the Under-18 group, offering valuable experience to the club’s emerging talents. The second half saw the return of Under-21 midfielder Ben Middlemas and defender Oliver Bainbridge, both making their comebacks from injury. Jay Brown, Jay Matadeen, Matty Hunter, and Caleb Shakespeare were named as rotating substitutes and were available throughout both halves. The opener came five minutes before the interval when Bell, captaining the Sunderland side, saw his attempted interception deflect into the net past goalkeeper Isaac Allen. Following a full change of eleven at the break, the Black Cats started brightly and equalised in the 52nd minute. Charlie Dinsdale did well in the build-up before Whittaker lashed home the leveller. However, Darlington found the winner with 20 minutes to play as Jack Maskell met a cross at the back post to nod the ball past Dan Cameron and settle the contest. Murty’s side will return to action on Saturday when they host Derby County at the Academy of Light. First-Half XI: Allen, Holcroft, Forsyth, Bell, Lightfoot, Hunt, Jones, Proctor, Walsh, Scott, Barker. Second-Half XI: Cameron, Bell (Brown), Kindon, Bainbridge, Bowman, Lienard, Middlemas (Matadeen), Whittaker, Dinsdale (Hunter), Hester (Shakespeare), Campbell.
