by MIDDLESBROUGH scored a late winner to edge Sunderland Under-21s at the Stadium of Light on Monday night.
There was no bonkers encounter again last season, when Middlesbrough won 7-5, but Boro came out on top again, George Gitau’s deflected goal sealing a 2-1 victory after Tommy Watson canceled out Sonny Finch’s opener.
The win lifts Boro to seventh in Premier League 2 and all but Mark Tinkler’s side secured a place in the play-offs. Sunderland, in 10th place, are likely to qualify for relegation at the end of the season.
MORE THAN BOSSES TO MAKE THE FIRST STAFF AVAILABLE
Rarely has a Sunderland Under-21 game gone by this season without a first team touch. Hemir, Eliezer Mayenda, Bradley Dack, Corry Evans and Aji Alese all featured in Graeme Murty’s side. The sight of the seniors playing for Middlesbrough Mark Tinkler was not so often, although US striker Matthew Hoppe was included in the recent draw at Fulham.
Hoppe was not in the squad at the Stadium of Light, however, and there were no senior players in either team. Boro defender Jack Hannah, 21, was the oldest starter. That did not mean that the game was without the players involved in the first team. Inform Watson started for the Black Cats and a number of players who featured in Michael Carrick’s Boro teams this season were involved in Tinkler’s side.
Sonny Finch and Pharrell Willis, both of whom recently returned from injury, started as regular first-team substitutes this term, as did Luke Woolston and Law McCabe.
And it was one of those players, Finch, who opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark. The attacker – highly rated by Carrick – was alive in the box and forced Henry Fieldson into a mistake, the defender’s pass intercepted by Finch and ricocheting into the bottom corner. Finch had the ball in the net for a second time late in the half, heading home nicely after good work from Willis, but the assistant’s flag denied the opener.
Fieldson almost made a costly error in the first half but Adam Richardson came to the rescue. The defender’s pass from the back was tackled and bounced on by AJ Bridge, whose first-time shot hit the post by the home keeper in full flight.
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Finch took his tally to five first-half scores in as many outings for the Under-21s – and it wasn’t the only game leading up to the pitch.
Willis and Watson were knocking on the first-team door last season before their progress was halted by injury. Watson played for the Black Cats under Mowbray, while Willis caught the eye of the Rock following the arrival of the Boro boss and an initial contract and a new contract. The highs were followed by injury lows and both had lengthy spells on the sidelines, but impressed in their respective first team captains since their return, with Willis playing his way into the first bench. Boro team.
The Londoner had scored twice and created two more in six Under-21 games before Sunderland’s trip and was lively in the first half, teeing up Finch for the disallowed goal. But the winger’s night only lasted 45 minutes, Sam Collins replacing him at the break.
As for Watson, Dodds recently admitted that the starter is likely to come into his thinking – and again he has done no harm to his chances here.
Watson was Sunderland’s most likely route to a goal in the first half, flashing one left-footed shot just wide and soon after getting the better of Gitau before delivering a well-deserved teasing cross by him. And it was Watson who scored Sunderland’s leveler just before the hour mark, cutting in from the left and finishing clinically, his third goal in as many games.
Boro’s Ajay Matthews was the other attacker on display. The Teessider is only 17 but has impressed in the Under-21 ranks, with four goals and two assists in 11 appearances, only six of which have been starts. It was another five goals in seven appearances for the Under-18s, the form which sparked reports of transfer interest last week, with Fabrizio Romano claiming “many of the best clubs in Europe are interested”.
It wasn’t a striker who came up with the decisive goal on Monday night, but a goalkeeper. Gitau was on target to deflect McCabe’s shot from the edge of the area following a corner from the left nine minutes from time.
THE SIDES COULD MEET AGAIN
Both of these teams will finish in the top 16 of the PL2 under 26 table, meaning they will compete in the play-offs of the newly restructured competition at the end of the season. In fact, there is still a chance that they will face each other in the victorious first game.
The top 12 teams will also be invited to take part in next season’s Premier League International Cup competition.
Boro finish their regular campaign at home to Crystal Palace, while Sunderland play Liverpool at home before a trip to Blackburn
