On this day in 2015, the Stadium of Light saw a record-breaking 6-3 win as Lynden Gooch made his debut and Jermain Defoe scored a hat-trick.
Sunderland had started the season poorly under Dick Advocaat (who had un-retired after fans bought him and his wife some flowers). One point from our opening three games was concerning, so a strong lineup was fielded against Exeter as a chance to build some confidence in the team…
Pantilimon
Matthews, Coates, O’Shea, van Aanholt
Cattermole, Larsson, M’Vila, Rodwell
Graham, Defoe
We were expecting a routine victory, it was League Two Exeter after all, but the 14,360 fans who turned up were given a real treat! It would be the highest-scoring Sunderland game in League Cup history.
Jack Rodwell and Jermain Defoe gave us an early 2-0 lead within 16 minutes, but our shocking defensive record continued with two goals gifted to Exeter before the half-hour mark. A classy Defoe finish made it 3-2 minutes before half time, but City’s Tom McCready drilled in another equaliser before the break.
3-3 at half time, Sunderland had blown a lead twice, the supporters booed the Lads off as they went down the tunnel.
The second half began at a much more conservative pace, and Advocaat handed 19-year-old Lynden Gooch his debut from the bench after around the hour mark.
Moments later Rodwell rose to meet Seb Larsson’s corner, before Duncan Watmore poked a fifth in. There was still time for Defoe to grab his hat trick, hooking onto Larsson’s low cross and making it 6-3 at the death.
We had won the game and scored six goals. Defoe showed his undoubted quality (again) and the pair of Gooch and Watmore looked really bright off the bench. The useless Rodwell even showed a glimpse of what could have been, in another life. But the game also highlighted our defensive woes.
We’d conceded four to (eventual champions) Leicester on the opening day, before shipping three at home to newly-promoted Norwich the following week, and then a 1-1 draw to Swansea. Conceding three goals to Exeter City made it 11 goals in four games - pretty inexcusable. Advocaat was soon gone, Big Sam came in, and Gooch was loaned to Doncaster for a 10-game spell which was cut short due to injury.
