U23s make winning start to Premier League Cup campaign

WILLIAMS Kokolo and Jack Diamond were on target as Sunderland made a winning start to their Premier League Cup campaign at Eppleton.

Kokolo put the Black Cats ahead against Charlton 10 minutes before the break, with the impressive Diamond adding the second shortly before the hour.

Sunderland manager Jack Ross and his coaching staff were in the stands to watch Elliott Dickman’s side win their opening Group A game, which sees them go top of the table – at least until the other sides in the group Stoke City and Peterborough United meet next Monday.

Both teams took their time to get accustomed to the blustery conditions, and when they did it was the Latics who threatened first but it was Kokolo who struck first struck on 36 minutes, chasing Jake Hackett’s through ball into the left channel and outpacing his marker before crashing his shot past Maynard-Brewer from just inside the left-hand corner of the box.

Chances were missed by both sides before half time but it was Sunderland who took charge in the second half, with Diamond doubling his side’s lead on 56 minutes.

Dan Neil almost added a third on the hour after Kokolo’s pace had opened up the Charlton defence, but his low shot took a deflection which took the pace off it which allowed the keeper to save.

Charlton went up a gear as they tried to find a route back into the game, but their best chance fell to Terrique Anderson, who cut across the box from left to right only to see his powerful drive brilliantly pawed away for a corner by Johnstone.

Dempsey hit a piledriver from just outside the box in the dying minutes but Johnstone turned that effort over the bar.

SUNDERLAND: Johnstone, Gamble, Storey, Young, Hunter (Taylor 77), Connelly, Connolly, Hackett (Bale 82), Kokolo, Diamond (Kiernan 80), Neil. Subs not used: Patterson, Bainbridge