POSITIVES FOR ROSS IN SURREAL VICTORY
PLAYERS GET MATCH MINUTES UNDER THEIR BELTS, WHILE HOME YOUNGSTERS ALSO IMPRESS
It was a surreal evening that Sunderland knew was fraught with danger.
This was a free hit for Newcastle United’s youngsters and all the pressure was on the Black Cats to produce an emphatic display.
In the end they did so and got through an uncomfortable evening with relative ease.
It was not without its plus points, either.
Charlie Wyke got more valuable minutes under his belt and scored a good header that will serve as a timely confidence boost.
The striker’s attitude was spot on and he approached the occasion with real professionalism that will serve him well in the weeks ahead.
The second half also underlined that while Newcastle United’s youngsters have much promise, the Black Cats too have some real talent in their ranks.
Such has been Bali Mumba’s rise this season that it is easy to forget his youth.
Even Newcastle’s U21s had the advantage on him in age and physique but after a mixed first half, he grew into the second.
He won the ball back well, made some fine turns and kept Sunderland ticking over.
Further forward, the arrival of Benji Kimpioka turned the game on its head and it was another promising Checkatrade cameo from the Swede that leaves Jack Ross with a decision to make this month.
Kimpioka is clearly in need of regular senior minutes.
He is immensely promising but still very raw, some poor touches and decisions in the final third.
He is also difficult to contain, his direct style a nightmare for defenders.
He is a tempting wildcard option to have on the bench.
Ross gave a number of fringe players the chance to stake their claim and in the second half they at least showed their abilities.
The first 45 minutes had played out like a lot of League One games at the Stadium of Light this season.
The onus was on Sunderland to break the opposition down, who were happy to soak up pressure, picking their moments to try and commit bodies on the counter-attack.
‘ The arrival of Benji Kimpioka turned the game on its head in a promising cameo.’
The Black Cats tried to play with a high tempo but they struggled to test Nathan Harker in the main.
The likes of Jerome Sinclair and Chris Maguire struggled to make any serious headway, but the second half was a different story.
While Sinclair was unfortunate not to get a goal when he hit the post from close range, his showing after the break showed the qualities that he has. He showed his pace and strength to test the young defence and helped get his side into more dangerous areas.
Maguire, meanwhile. delivered the cutting edge that was needed.
Sunderland have rarely threatened from set pieces this season but two good deliveries broke the game open and his effort from range to make it 3-0 was excellent.
That will have been valuable for Ross to get him back amongst the action and his cult hero credentials were done no harm, either.
After the game Ross was eager not to play up the victory too much.
He insisted beforehand that it was not a derby and he stuck to that line.
There was an obvious relief that his team had got through a novelty night in which they could never really win.
Yet here they are now, two games from Wembley.
The sideshow that this game was always going to become detracted from the potential prize at the end of the journey.
They are one step closer to that now and their second half performances added some gloss to what turned out to be a very satisfying evening.