The Lads edged a single goal victory over the Mariners of Grimsby Town at Eppleton CW’s home in the Tote Cup. The score somewhat flattered the visitors and would have been more but for a very good display by Grimsby keeper Leigh Overton.

However, it was a game over shadowed by yet another injury to Nathan Luscombe who early in the second half lunged into a typical wholehearted challenge but appeared to injure his knee and had to be carried off the pitch.

The Lads lined up with full backs, Kay (wearing the armband) and Brown. The centre backs were Madden and Cornforth. Reed and Liam Noble provided the centre pairing whilst O’Mahoney and Luscombe provided the width. Ryan Noble got the starting berth his season has deserved and Roy O’Donovan provided the only real experience of first team football.

The game took no time to come to life when Adam Reed sent out a statement of intent within the first ten seconds with a crunching midfield challenge, which led to an immediate break down the right hand side for O’Donovan. From his cross Ryan Noble slid in on the keeper, not quite Defoe style you understand, but naturally whilst there was little contact the keeper, theirs got a free kick whilst Craig Gordon would have got a broken arm. It’s the Sunderland way.

Grimsby had a half chance of their own just within the ten-minute mark but Joe Cornforth headed away well under pressure. The young Sunderland side, devoid of International youngsters Meyler, Carson and Weir took a little while to settle in to their rhythm but once they did the began to dominate possession.

On 18 minutes Ryan Noble broke well down the left, cut inside the box and hit what looked like the opener with his right foot but the keeper made the first of a number of very good saves.

From the resultant corner, the ball dropped out to Michael Kay who spun well and from just outside the six yards box hit a shot that the keeper again did very well to block.

Two minutes later and Adam Reed steamed to the edge of the six yard box and put O’Mahoney’s good right wing cross just over the bar. The young Irishman himself had a chance just two minutes later as Ryan Noble’s blistering pace sent him clear and his cross dropped for O’Mahoney but his effort was blocked on the line and cleared.

Liam Noble then splayed one just wide from a good 25 yards before Grimsby got a rare sniff of goal when Akpa Akpro should have lifted the ball higher to clear Wilson in the Sunderland goal but gently played the ball straight to the Sunderland custodian.

Cornforth let himself down when he got booked for kicking the ball away when there simply was no threat.

On 37 minutes O’Donovan broke down the right and should have crossed to the unmarked Ryan Noble at the back post but greedily went near post and hit the side netting and then minutes later the Corkman flashed a shot across the face of the goal, this time form the left hand side.

A minute before the break, Overton made a superb, if unorthodox, block with his feet after an excellent glancing header from Joe Cornforth

H/T 0 v 0

Five minutes after the restart, Adam Reed flung himself in at the far post to try to convert a deep cross, but put his effort just wide. Moments later and Blair Adams replaced the injured Luscombe, which was a sad sight. Get fit soon Nath.

Adams took no time to contribute and perhaps should have done better when his header was cleared off the line just a minute after coming off the bench.
On 57 minutes the lads finally broke the deadlock when a superb reverse ball from O’Donovan played the onrushing Adams in on the edge of the box and the youngster slotted it home as if he’d played up front all his life.

Adams then perhaps should have done better with his next effort, however, as he went in at the far post for a header he either lost the flight or pulled out under pressure from the Mariner’s defence. A couple of minutes later and Adams sent in possibly the best cross of the night and one of Grimsby’s defenders did very well just to clear the cross for a corner before Ryan Noble pounced. From the corner kick, Dan Madden’s header went across the face of goal but there was no-one there to convert.

Liam Noble then got booked for a challenge and was lucky that moments later the referee didn’t see him catch Grimsby’s Fuller, full in the face with his elbow which appeared to be raised although perhaps the diminutive nature of the Grimsby sub meant that he was unlucky to cop it in the face rather than lower down on his body. Anyhow, Reed paid the full price as his next challenge moments later resulted in a yellow card and to be fair it had been coming as he did a ‘ressie impersonation’ of Lorik Cana.

Ten minutes from time and O’Donovan was unlucky when he pounced on a defender’s slip deep inside the Grimsby box and hit a good shot which looked in until the keeper got enough of a block on it to deflect it up on to the bar and put for a corner. The Irishman then did a carbon copy of his chance in the first half when he found the side netting instead of a better-placed team mate although to be fair it did take a last touch off a defender.

Adams could have wrapped it up in the first minute of added time but Ryan Noble’s slightly overhit cross just prevented the substitute from reaching his pass.

Full Time: Sunderland Reserves 1– 0 Grimsby Town Reserves

Sunderland: Ben Wilson, Kay, Brown, Reed, Madden, Cornforth, O’Mahoney (Nathan Wilson), Liam Noble, O’Donovan, Ryan Noble, Luscombe (Adams)

Subs unused: Bagnall, Misiewicz, Fletcher

Grimsby: Overton, Wood, Moore, Gray, Widdowson, Jones, Boshell, Deane, Evans, Akpa Akpro (Smith), Conlon (Fuller)

Subs unused: Peet, Thanoj, Heward,

Man of the Match: Ryan Noble for his workrate

Attendance: 349

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