Sunderland returned to their rightful place in the Barclays Premier Reserve league, or any league for that matter, namely top, after their 3v1 win against the Smogs at Eppleton CW’s home in Hetton.

The Lads lined up with Ward in goal returning after a long injury, a back four of Kay, McArdle, Hartley and Brown; Chandler and Weir were paired together in the middle with Cook and Luscombe providing the width and Waghorn returning after his hamstring injury dropped in the hole with Swedish superstar Rade Prica leading the line.

The Boro team was a young one, well you’d want to find something to get you out of Middlesbrough of an evening if you were young, but the Sunderland team were severely depleted by the absence of their key reserves in the shape of Colback, Meyler (both suspended), the on loan duo of Henderson and Liddle and Frenchman M’Voto.

Luscombe’s opening contribution was ‘off the ball’ not one of his trademark tasty challenges, that was to come later immediately before the flash of a yellow card, but setting the tone for the evening was his response to Pistols Pete Hartley’s poor clearance, ‘**ck off Pistols’ within all of six seconds of the kick off. It was to set the tone for much of the first half.

Two minutes in and Nath’s next contribution was less comical and much more telling as he ran straight at the Boro defence and set up Prica to cross a superb ball (I’m assuming he meant it) for the oncoming Jordan Cook. It was such an accurate cross that Jordan didn’t really need to do anything other than run in to it and bang 1v0 to the Lads.

Prica then set up Waghorn with a good first touch but Wags first touch in turn was the antithesis of that as he badly overran it to the relief of their keeper as he, Wags, had looked clean through.

Just after the quarter hour mark the ref gave them what looked from our vantage point on the far side, a soft penalty after a challenge by Kay. However, having said that someone much closer on the other side of the ground said it was a fair decision. I should point out they told me that at half time it’s not like my hearing’s is bionic or something. Smallwood stepped up and Ward made a terrific initial block but it had so much power on it, it looped up back to the Boro captain and he headed home as all the daft lads behind the goal celebrated the ‘miss’.

The next chance for the Lads came when mid-way through the half Luscombe set up Prica on the edge of the box and he flashed one across the face of the goal but it went harmlessly wide. Moments later and the first half’s outstanding performer, Luscombe, set up another chance this time for Wags but he completely missed his cue, as he looked a little ring rusty.

From a short corner Luscombe then popped up on the right hand side and powered in an excellent shot that the keeper did well to turn away but moments later Nath’s next effort wasn’t so good and his wayward or more accurately skyward shot must have landed not far short of Bournmoor.

Young David Brown deserves a mention. He played at left back with Lids still away on loan at Carlisle and had a good first half with his best piece of play being an excellent piece of cover when Boro broke at pace from one of our corners (yeah its not just the first team who excel at that) and Brown found himself having to cover the far side of the defence with our lads having gone AWOL again.

In the final minute of the half, Luscombe ran at the Boro defence and looked like he scored a superb goal after a mazy run but somehow either by an excellent save by Knight or a combination of him and the post (it was difficult to see) the ball stayed out not once but twice as Nath followed up on his initial strike.

H/T 1 - 1

At the restart, Stokesy came on for Prica and Madden came on for McArdle who was struggling badly although it has to be said that Hartley and Kay weren’t doing much better. Madden whilst being caught a few times the wrong side of his man is generally more decisive and powerful even if it means Row Z (or Row C as it’s known at Hetton) and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of him in the closing games of the season.

Five minutes in and Wags set up Nathan for a chance just inside the box but a covering Boro defender did well to block. The next chance was set up by Stokesy who played a lovely ball to Wags but the Shields lad was caught on his heels rather than his toes as he presumably tried not to stray off side and the chance had gone.

Ward who didn’t have a lot to do despite plenty of possession by the Boro then pulled off a superb save from a point blank header to keep the teams level, after Kay had poorly ceded possession.

Stokesy robbed one of their defenders and looked to be through but his touch took the slightest of touches of a defender to take the sting out of his shot and Knight saved.

Ward made his third superb save getting his fingertips to a stinging drive after Kay again had been caught out. I’d be amazed if a League club didn’t come in soon for Darren who didn’t have loads to do but was superb when he did.

On 81 minutes the Lads retook the lead when Nathan who had had a much quieter second period than his superb performance in the first ran at the defence set up Jordan Cook and his shot deflected in off the Boro defender. It was his second goal of the match, although I have to say that I don’t think I’m being too unkind by suggesting it wasn’t one of his better games.

Suddenly a bit more confidence flowed and the impressive David Brown floated a lovely ball to the far side which Cookie very cleverly nodded down into space and there were three Sunderland players queuing up for the goal all of seven yards out and Wags who got the vital touch, 3v1 and game over.

Full Time: Sunderland Reserves 3 – 1Smogs

Sunderland: Ward, Kay, McArdle (Madden), Hartley, Brown, Cook, Chandler, Weir, Waghorn, Prica (Stokes), Cook.

Subs unused: Miscewicz, Reed, Fletcher

Man of the Match: Had the game lasted 45 minutes then undoubtedly Nathan but he didn’t get into the game enough in the second period so Jamie Chandler’s constant prompting and manipulating of the ball through the middle of the park for the full 90 just edges it.

Dov