A young, inexperienced side cruised to a victory that puts them into the semi final of the Durham Challenge Cup. However, despite the scoreline, it wasn’t one way traffic and had the visitors and Michael Dunwell, in particular, taken their chances then it would have been more like a rugby score.

The Lads lined up with Weir continuing at right back, Chandler and Colback paired together in the middle and Henderson dropped in the hole with Dowson leading the line. Hartley wore the armband.

The visitors started brightly and Craig Brown drove just wide and high from a tight angle and minutes later Jamie Dawson hit a rising shot narrowly past the far post. You could see why the Northern League team had got this far in the tournament with Harrison Davies notably causing us problems down the left early on and he looked like someone capable of playing at a higher level.

Despite the visitor’s bright start, Jake Richardson opened the scoring, on twelve minutes, at the second attempt after good work from Henderson and an excellent initial parry from the visitor’s keeper, James Briggs. Our next chance fell to Robbie Weir who did well to charge up the field from right back but side-footed wide after more good work from Richardson.

David Dowson, who had his best game for as long as I can remember then bravely slid in whilst shooting for goal and collided with the keeper but saw his shot flash just wide of the far post.

Briggs then pulled off a great save from his own man when an attempted clearance ricocheted off his own man after Hartley had gone close with a header. It was then Carson’s turn to save well, clawing out an effort by Craig Lake after a good corner by the visitors. Just before the half hour mark, Henderson’s superbly disguised reverse ball put through Luscombe and the youngster should have buried his effort but placed it wide.

Harrison Davies then did fantastically well again to nutmeg Weir on the goal line but Dunwell done bad. The visitors were immediately punished as play swapped ends and Richardson’s excellent cross found Donoghue in an unusually advanced position to power a header home for the second.

Briggs was cursing his luck minutes later when he pulled off an excellent save from Luscombe only to find Richardson sliding in to prod the ball home for three.

Donwell found himself in another good position three minutes from the break but shot tamely at Carson, when he should have done better and groundhog-day struck again as the Lads immediately went up the other end and punished them when Dowson did well to get on the end of Donoghue’s lofted pass, prodding home as the keeper raced out to close him down.

H/T 4v0

A comedy of errors from the Lads within seconds of the restart gave the visitors a goal their endeavours fully deserved and something for their handful of travelling fans to celebrate. Donoghue gave the ball away, Hartley was caught flat footed and after Weir had been given the run around by two of the opposition, the ball was crossed and in the confusion of defenders leaving it for each other Marcus Laing stole in and rammed home.

Ninety seconds later Sunderland scored – you may be spotting a trend here – Dowson did really well to head on a ball into the path of Henderson and whilst the latter’s ball back into the box wasn’t perfect, Dowson did enough to control the pass, which was slightly behind him, twisted and shot home. The keeper got a hand to it and may feel disappointed given his excellent display up to that point, not to have kept it out.

McArdle then came on for Liddle pushing Hartley across to left back. Man of the match, Chandler, then tried to pass the ball into the net from just inside the box but neither hit it high into the net nor low along the ground and allowed the keeper a save at a comfortable height.

Henderson then almost duplicated his free kick from Seaham last week when his effort from just outside the box was well tipped over the bar by Briggs. Dunwell then had yet another chance after Donoghue’s air shot but another tame effort reflected his impact on the game.

The scoring was completed when Richardson crossed for substitute Cook to score from close in after tenacious play from Chandler. Dowson and Richardson put in their best performances for a long time but Chandler pipped them for man of the match with his energy and drive from midfield.

Full Time: Sunderland Reserves 6-1 Norton & Stockton Ancients

Sunderland: Carson, Weir, Liddle (McArdle), Colback, Donoghue, Hartley, Richardson (J), Chandler, Henderson (Home-Jackson), Dowson, Luscombe (Cook).

Subs: unused: Hourihane, Cornforth

Man of the Match: Jamie Chandler

Attendance: 318

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