Stormy weather rains on Black Cats’ parade
THUNDER, LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAIN SWEPT THROUGH THE RIVERSIDE
SUNDERLAND’S pre-season friendly at Middlesbrough was abandoned at half-time as thunder, lightning, and torrential rain swept the Riverside Stadium.
The first half was played in heavy rain and ended goalless, but almost as soon as the players reached the dressing room the heavens opened and the storm broke.
With the worst of the storm seemingly over, the Boro team reappeared on the pitch ready to start the second period.
But before the Sunderland side emerged from the tunnel a huge flash of lightning briefly knocked out all the lights in the ground, and while they came back on within seconds, the Boro players left the field.
And with the restart 10 minutes overdue, referee Ross Joyce made the decision to call the game off due for safety reasons.
Boro’s official twitter account said: “Due to torrential rain and a thunderstorm continuing to rage above the Riverside, this evening’s match has been called off.”
Before the weather intervened, Sunderland’s final pre-season outing had gone largely according to plan aside from a knock picked up by Dylan McGeouch inside the first 20 minutes which saw him substituted.
Manager Jack Ross had handed debuts to his two newest signings, former Sheffield Wednesday defender Glenn Loovens and on-loan Watford striker Jerome Sinclair.
He also rewarded 16-year-old midfielder Bali Mumba with a place in the starting line-up after he impressed in recent games from the bench. But Lee Cattermole, who has been tipped to leave Wearside during the transfer window, and summer signing Chris Maguire were both absent from the squad. Boro gave their £5m summer capture from Sunderland Paddy McNair a start. Donald Love sent an early shot straight at Darren Randolph in the Boro goal, but 60 seconds later Adama Traore cut inside from the right and smashed a shot which clipped the top of the crossbar on its way over with Jon McLaughlin well beaten. Loovens and Traore needed treatment a few minutes later after they collided in the centre-circle, and while Loovens was able to continue, Traore went off 10 minutes later clutching the shoulder he injured in the earlier incident.
Just before the half-hour, Josh Maja held the ball up inside the area in a central position for Sinclair, but Randolph stuck out a foot to divert his shot over the bar.
Randolph also foiled Gooch after a swift counter-attack started by McLaughlin.
McLaughlin came to Sunderland’s rescue a minute before the break when he saved with his feet from McNair, who found himself in behind the Black Cats’ defence.
And with virtually the last kick of the first half, Maja rapped the outside of the post with a shot from inside the area.
Before the weather intervened, Sunderland’s final pre-season outing had gone largely according to plan James Hunter