Students doubly delighted with Cup triumph
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
SUNDERLAND College men’s team are cup winners for the second season in a row after winning the North East Colleges’ Premier League Cup in fine style.
They beat Hartlepool Sixth Form 3-0 at Gateshead Stadium to lift the trophy and add it to the Durham County‘Albert Knox Memorial Cup they won last season.
It was the second cup win in a row since former Sunderland defender Martin Scott’s Improtech Soccer company took over the running of the college’s men’s and ladies’ football teams two years ago.
Scott said: “We are delighted with another cup win, particularly as we are in the middle of recruiting new players for Sunderland College next season and this focuses attention on what we are trying to achieve here.
“We are making progress season after season in terms of giving good young footballers solid educations while at the same time working hard to give them the best chance of winning contracts at league and non-league clubs.”
Sunderland College sealed victory thanks to goals from Liam Adamson and Luke Pearn.
Hartlepool went into the game with a psychological advantage, having won both games in the league this season.
However, Sunderland started the final sharper and took a 10th-minute lead when Adamson took a pass from Sloan and scored from 18 yards.
The Wearsiders doubled their lead in the 17th minute after neat build-up play saw Liam Adamson link up with Dimitri Limbo on the edge of the box before firing home – and the third came on the halfhour, winger Luke Pearn feinting past a defender, opening up the angle by driving inside and then bending a shot into the bottom left corner.
Improtech Soccer coach Stuart Brand said: “This was a great team performance from the players.
“In the first half we showed our understanding of positional play, allowing us to attack with pace and numbers.
“In the second we showed terrific game management.”
Sunderland College’s Sports Faculty director John Rushworth said: “This was an excellent performance and result for our Improtech Elite Football Development Centre, showcasing the quality of our provision at Sunderland College.
“We are going from strength to strength since we started our partnership with Improtech Soccer and we are proud of the levels of education and football we provide at our development centres.”