A Sunderland XI ran out winners with a 4 -0 victory over Seaham Red Star to mark the official opening of floodlights and new stands at Seaham Town Park. However, the match was marred by a potentially serious injury to youngster Nathan Luscombe in the 71 st minute. The young left winger, who had impressed throughout the match, left the pitch on a stretcher, after colliding with the goalkeeper Keith Finch.

The match kicked off in one of many heavy downpours of sleet and snow but credit has to be given to the Northern League Club staff who had produced an excellent surface to play on. Russell Anderson was given the chance to gain some match sharpness playing alongside Peter Hartley in the centre of defence which allowed Gavin Donoghue to play in central midfield whilst Robbie Weir operated at right back. David Dowson missed the first of a flurry of opportunities for the Lads early in the game, shooting wide after excellent work by Donoghue in the middle of the park.

Strike partner Josh Home-Jackson then shot narrowly wide of the right post after good work down the right from Jake Richardson. Jake’s excellent right wing cross moments later saw Nathan Luscombe balloon over, Dave Swindlehurst style, from all of a yard out, much to the dismay of the on looking or should I say on-glaring Bally – one of the few people in the north east of England hard enough to turn out on such an atrocious night of weather and still look completely unfazed by it.

Donoghue, who looked impressive in midfield, opened the scoring on 22 minutes when his shot from the edge of the box took a slight deflection and nestled into the corner of the net. Minutes later, the Irishman, set up Dowson with an excellent defence splitting pass but the striker failed to find the net. Four minutes before the break Nathan Luscombe picked up the ball on the half way line and pushed the ball one way past the defender whilst racing past him on the other and after taking another good touch, enticed the keeper to dive at his feet, earning a penalty when contact was made.

Up stepped Ian Harte and just when I was thinking I wish he’d been on the park to take the penalty against Blackburn on Wednesday, he promptly missed. I guess proving that anyone can miss a penalty. Keeper Finch gets the credit palming a fairly respectable spot-kick back into play but wide to safety before it was cleared.

H/T 0-1 to the Lads

The second half commenced with Red Star playing some excellent passing and possession football, belying their comparatively lowly status with winger Chris Bell in particular looking like he should be playing at a higher level. However, the class of the professionals grew more apparent as the match wore on and just before the hour mark, Luscombe’s excellent direct run created space just inside the box for Donoghue to score his second of the match from close range.

The third goal came five minutes later and was a superb curling effort stroked home by Josh Home-Jackson from the edge of the penalty area into the far side of the goal, giving Finch no chance. There was a flurry of substitutions by Sunderland and soon after, Luscombe was injured. The game was halted for seven minutes whilst treatment was given to the youngster.

When the match eventually restarted, a small measure of justice was done when Jordan Henderson curled the resultant free kick from just outside the box straight into the far top corner of the net for the goal of the game. Moments later with the conditions deteriorating, the match already won and I’m guessing for the safety of both players and fans the referee called an early halt to the game.

The match celebrated the new floodlights which were tested to the full in terrible weather conditions and whilst an official attendance was not announced there was a good turn out given the weather. The match would have proved an excellent match sharpener for Russell Anderson who was rarely tested but looked comfortable throughout, but the net benefit to our club will only be established once Luscombe’s injury has been assessed.

Final Score: Seaham Red Star 0-4 Sunderland XI

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

Man of the Match: Could have been Jamie Chandler or Gavin Donoghue but under the circumstances Nathan Luscombe gets it. Hope he’s ok.

Dov