I remember years ago, and I mean years ago, when I was young and daft going to the reserve games at Roker Park with my dad and it always seemed to be cold. The thing that surprised me then was the amount of cracking looking young lasses that used to be there, probably looking to hook themselves a young footballer. Or maybe it just appeared that way to a young hormonal daft lad. The other thing that sticks in my mind was that you could actually hear the players and coaches shouting out instructions which on occasion was quite illuminating, oh and of course the Bovril which always appeared to have the temperature of molten lava. Oh and the boredom as again, from memory, you rarely seemed to get a decent game. I'd still love to go back and do it again just to spend a couple more hours with me dad.
I used to go to all the reserve home games in the late 50's early 60's, who could forget George Whitelaw another of our great Scots.
SAFC U21 0-0 Norwich City U21 Sunderland bounced back from defeat against Middlesbrough to take a well-earned point against an organised Norwich team at the Academy of Light. The match was a tale of two defences with both teams defending in numbers letting little get past them during a tense 90 minutes. After a cagey opening 15 minutes, Norwich carved out the game’s first opportunity when midfielder Ben Watt tried his luck from 20 yards out, but Jacob Carney comfortably collected his shot. The visitors continued to apply the pressure and came inches from opening the scoring when Harry Brook’s curling effort from out on the left came crashing back off Carney’s crossbar. Sunderland came close to taking the lead when Ethan Moore’s perfectly timed cross from the right fell to the feet of Ellis Taylor inside the box, but the Norwich defence managed to make a last-ditch block to clear the danger. The hosts squandered a great chance on the stroke of half time when Nathan Newell advanced past his man and picked out Tom Scott on the edge of the box – Scott’s first time shot cleared McCracken’s crossbar. Sunderland started the second half as they finished the first on the attack, but Scott dragged his attempt from outside the box wide of McCracken’s far post. Moore was next to come close to finding the back of the net after Sunderland broke down the left, but Ellis Taylor’s floated cross was an inch too high for Moore to direct the ball towards McCracken’s goal. In a game of few chances Sunderland kept pushing forward in the final few minutes to find a breakthrough goal, but Norwich held firm to claim a point. SAFC U21: Carney, Wilson, Crompton, Johnson (Fieldson 60’), Newall, Burke (Chiabi 68’), Scott, Kelly, Moore, Taylor ©, Thompson (Robinson 68’). Subs not used: Bond, Pye.
I know it’s “ only” U17 but that’s a good one to tell the grand kids already for Watson. He must be on cloud nine.
SAFC U18 0-2 Fulham U18 Sunderland fell to a 2-0 defeat against Fulham at Eppleton, ending their chances of advancing in the FA Youth Cup. In a pulsating end-to-end game, it was Fulham who took the lead through Terrell Works’ early strike before Callum Osmand’s tap-in doubled their advantage midway through the second half. Fulham started the match in emphatic style scoring inside 30 seconds. Works latched onto a defence-splitting pass by Callum Osmand, before sliding the ball under Daniel Cameron to open the scoring The visitors came within inches of doubling their lead a few minutes later, but defender Olivier Bainbridge was perfectly positioned on the goal line to deny the West London club twice with his head. Fulham dominated possession in the early stages and almost extended their lead on 23 minutes, Works’ shot from a tight angle inside the box clipping Cameron’s woodwork. Sunderland had Cameron to thank moments later as he stayed alert to pull off two brilliant saves in quick succession. Firstly, denying Osmand from close range before getting a hand to tip Loupalo-Bi’s effort around his post for a corner. Mason Cotcher had the home team’s first opportunity of the match and almost levelled the scores after being played through on goal, the striker's attempt from a narrow-angle was saved low down by Allen. Allen pulled off another great stop a minute later, getting a strong hand to palm Cotcher’s free-kick away from danger. The Cottagers missed a gilt-edged chance on the stroke of half-time, Lemar Gordon firing over from three yards out after Sunderland failed to fully clear their lines. Fulham came close to increasing their lead within a minute of the restart, McCoy-Splatt’s driven free-kick from the edge of the box fizzing just wide of Cameron’s post. Sunderland instantly replied with a chance of their own, Thomas Watson’s curling effort from around 25 yards out forced Allen into a full-stretch save to preserve the visitor's lead. Fulham’s continued pressure was rewarded half-way through the second half, McCoy-Splatt’s deflected free-kick falling kindly to Osmand for a simple tap-in from close range. Ben Williams came close to pulling a goal back for Sunderland in the closing stages when he rose highest to meet Marshall Burke’s corner but was unable to keep his header on target. Sunderland continued to create chances in the final few minutes, but Fulham held firm to see the game out. SAFC U18: Cameron, Williams, Johnson, Fieldson ©, Bainbridge, Burke, Rigg, Moore, Middlemas (Waters 67’), Watson, Cotcher. Subs not used: Young, Bell, Cain, Dowling, Robertson, Ogunsuyi.
