Cats come unstuck against Toffees

Sunderland were beaten by Everton for the second successive week, this time 4-1 in the F.A.Youth Cup third round tie at Goodison on Saturday, writes Neville Pilkington.

The young Wearsiders seemed to freeze in the first half on the big stage and were never in the game.

They suffered a setback in the 18th minute when they lost striker Connor Slack with an foot injury.

The home side dominated and went in front on 25 minutes when a diagonal pass from the left was tapped in at the far post by Ellis Simms.

One minute before the break, the lead was doubled when Konede Adedoyin scored with a free header from a corner.

But from the restart, it was a different game. Ryan Leonard shot just past the post on 48 minutes in a one-on-one. Two minutes later, Tom Scothern chipped over an empty net with the keeper stranded.

At last on the hour mark came the break through. It was game on when Ryan Gooch slotted in from 18 yards following a good run.

Now Sunderland really went flat out for an equaliser but were caught on the break when Blues Anthony Gordon hit a beautiful curler into the top corner.

Still the young Black Cats fought to save the game and Leonard again shot over with only the keeper to beat.

Perhaps inevitably, they were caught on the break again one minute from the end when Everton’s goal machine Ellis Simms notched his brace and 25th goal of the season.

Sunderland coach Paul Bryson reflected; “Our first half performance was very poor - we did nothing. But we had a real go in the second period and didn’t deserve to lose 4-1 to a very good side”.

Sunderland: Cameron, Evans, Derbali, Edmundsson, Howard, Best, Neil, Scothern (Kiernan 78), Gooch (Ord 88), Slack (Kennedy 18), Leonard.

Subs not used: Bassey, Smith.