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First Team

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Sunderland U 23's

Tue 18 Feb 2020 | Durham Challenge Cup | Home

Stadium

Ferguson Motor Repairs Stadium

Attendance

517

Referee

Adam Herczeg

Kick-Off

19:30

 

Sunderland U23s booked their spot in the final of the Durham Challenge Cup with a 2-4 win at Seaham Red Star on Tuesday night.

 

Cieran Dunne scored a brace for the Black Cats, while Stanley Asomugha and Vinnie Steele were also on the scoresheet for the visitors.

 

Liam Gillesphey and Paul Gardiner both netted for Seaham, but it wasn’t enough as Sunderland booked their spot in the final.

 

Sunderland’s starting XI included trialists Asomugha, Steele and Will Harris.

 

Upon kick-off, it took Sunderland just 55 seconds to break the deadlock. They worked the ball into Asomugha, and he finished from close range to give the youngsters the perfect start.

 

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However, Seaham responded to falling behind. Richie Coulson had a 20-yard shot saved by Anthony Patterson, before Gillesphey headed an inviting cross not far over.

 

Those chances were both within the opening five minutes, and as the game settled down, it continued to be Seaham creating the chances.

 

In the 18th minute, the Northern League outfit worked the ball to Sean McRoberts, but his low shot failed to find the target.

 

It was a fairly even affair with both sides having spells of possession in the first half, but other than their early goal, Sunderland created little in front of goal.

 

Seaham had a massive penalty shout for handball turned down in the 21st minute, before McRoberts had another chance come and go three minutes later.

 

The resulting corner found a way back to the taker who whipped a cross into the penalty area. It fell nicely to Dan Wilson, but his header was well saved.

 

Wilson then had an effort deflected onto the roof of the net, before Coulson forced a smart stop from Patterson.

 

In the 33rd minute, Seaham deservedly pulled level. A corner wasn’t cleared by Sunderland, and it dropped to Gillesphey who fired home from close range.

 

Following the goal, Sunderland had a good spell of possession with a few corners, but they didn’t create any chances.

 

That was until they regained their lead with exactly 44 minutes played. A Seaham attack broke down, and the Sunderland youngsters quickly broke. They worked the ball to Harris whose clever flick played Dunne in. He charged down on goal before coolly slotting past Chris Bannon and into the net.

 

Following the break, Sunderland doubled their lead in the 53rd minute. A cross picked out Asomugha at the back post. His shot was blocked, but the rebound fell to Steele who fired home.

 

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Two ahead, Sunderland were now firmly in control and that showed by the flow of the game. Having been second best in the first half, they were the better team in the second half.

 

Asomugha and Owen Gamble both went close for the visitors as they looked for a fourth.

 

However, Seaham halved the deficit in the 63rd minute. A cross into the penalty area again wasn’t dealt with by Sunderland, and Gardiner latched onto the ball to drill it into the net.

 

Joe Hailes fired over as Seaham went in search of an equaliser, but Sunderland regained their two goal cushion in the 72nd minute. The visitors worked the ball down the left to exploit a gap. A low cross found Harris, and he helped it onto Dunne who curled an effort into the net for his second and Sunderland’s fourth.

 

An array of substitutions followed, before a good save from Bannon prevented Dunne of his hat-trick.

 

Seaham had a couple of chances late on with Gillesphey and Morgan Dart going close, while Andrias Edmundsson almost scored an own goal.

 

The Northern League side couldn’t find any further goals though, and it was Sunderland who took the spot in the final where they’ll face Spennymoor Town.

 

Full-time: Seaham Red Star 2-4 Sunderland U23s

 

Seaham Red Star: Bannon, Young, Hailes, Henderson (Dart, 66′), Myers (Weldon, 74′), Gillesphey, McRoberts (Cahill-Taylor, 74′), Gardiner, Wilson, Robinson, Coulson

 

Unused subs: Waite, Tumilty

 

Sunderland U23s: Patterson, Mumba, Evans, Sammut, Taylor, Edmundsson, Asomugha (Slack, 72′), Gamble, Harris, Dunne (Leonard, 84′), Steele (Greenwood, 81′)

 

 

 

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