Yeah, they must be on canny money. Matete was here in league 1 and has had two promotion uplifts. Can't blame the lads massively and it's just one of those things due to our meteoric rise.
I'd be amazed if they break into a sweat tonight. Both haven't looked arsed in the couple of games they have played this season
Decent commentary in the Halifax - Sunderland game ... ... Sunderland need to step up in the last 30 minutes.
Sunderland Under-21s kept their National League Cup qualification hopes alive after defeating Halifax Town 5-4 on penalties at the Shay Stadium, following a competitive 1-1 draw over 90 minutes. Graeme Murty’s side travelled to West Yorkshire knowing only a win would keep them in contention to progress from Group D. With Boston United on nine points and both Halifax and Newcastle on six with games in hand, the Lads faced a crucial afternoon. The hosts struck first after 17 minutes when Sean Tarima reacted sharply inside the box to fire low into the bottom corner after Sunderland failed to clear a cross. Despite the setback, Murty’s side responded well. Joe Anderson went close from a tight angle before Ben Middlemas and H. Jones both had efforts blocked in a congested penalty area. Goalkeeper Adam Richardson kept the Lads in the game with a series of important first-half saves, including a strong stop to deny Jamie Cooke from close range. After the interval, Sunderland played with renewed purpose and deservedly levelled on 63 minutes. A clever move down the left allowed Jenson Jones to slide a well-timed pass into Abdoullah Ba, who controlled superbly before lifting his finish into the top centre to make it 1-1. The Lads pushed for a winner, with Jay Matete twice firing narrowly over from distance and substitute Harry Walsh testing Halifax goalkeeper Nathaniel Ford. Finn Geragusian also saw a driven effort blocked inside the area. At the opposite end, solid defending from Archie Lightfoot and his back line helped Sunderland withstand late pressure, while Richardson produced another assured stop to deny Billy Warburton in stoppage time. With the match level after 90 minutes, the tie moved straight to penalties. Murty’s side remained calm from the spot, converting all five attempts. H. Jones, Middlemas, Geragusian, Jenson Jones, and Lightfoot all struck confidently. With Halifax missing once, Sunderland claimed a 5-4 shootout victory, securing two points and keeping their Group D qualification hopes alive heading into the final round of fixtures. Another poor report imo., questionabile judgement plus an awful lot missing, maybe the line ups and subs.used.would help.
