Sunderland 2 Albion 2: Black Cats beat Shannon Ruth's side

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Matt Bishop

2026-02-06T21:00+00:00

Tyler Silsby looks to control the ball. 📸 by James Boardman.

Our men’s under-21s lost 2-0 to Sunderland in Premier League 2 on Friday night.

Shannon Ruth’s side had a host of chances at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre but goals from Finn Geragusyan and Marcus Neill helped the Black Cats extend their unbeaten run in the league to four matches.

Charlie Tasker had the first effort on goal after 15 minutes, but his header from Tyler Silsby’s deep cross was easily gathered by Sunderland goalkeeper, Joseph Leonard and when the Black Cats responded with their first attack, Sebastian Jensen comfortably held Tom Proctor’s shot from 18 yards.

Jesse Middleton was next to try his luck from distance but after doing well to bring a bouncing ball down on his chest, the 17-year-old skewed his half-volley inches wide of the top-left corner.

Jesse Middleton fired narrowly wide in the first half. 📸 by James Boardman.

Tasker then met Harry Mills’s low cross after the Cypriot stormed down the left-hand side and fired an inviting ball into the area, but Albion’s skipper saw his goal-bound effort blocked as Shannon Ruth’s side began to take control.

But just as the hosts had got on top, Sunderland counter-attacked and the towering Geragusyan beat the offside trap to tap Jaydon Jones’s cross home at the back post moments before the break.

It was harsh on the Albion, who were disappointed not to see the linesman’s flag deny Sunderland’s Armenian striker, but they responded well at the start of the second half with a flurry of Nehemiah Oriola corners causing havoc in the Sunderland penalty area.

The winger nearly scored directly from his first set piece before Tasker headed the former Manchester United man’s second over the bar and then his third found Barclay at the back post, but Leonard stuck a foot out to prevent the centre-back from scoring.

Noel Atom’s pace rescued Ruth’s side from another Black Cats breakaway just as Geragusyan was about to pull the trigger from 15 yards, but otherwise it remained one-way traffic as we passed the hour mark.

Shannon Ruth's team were beaten in PL2 on Friday night. 📸 by James Boardman.

Mills had an effort blocked from eight yards and then Adam Brett had the ball poked off his toe inside the six-yard box, before yet another corner routine led to Middleton laying the ball off to Tasker in the ‘D’ - but he flashed his half-volley over the bar.

Albion were pushing hard for an equaliser now and a marvellous Mills pass cut through Sunderland’s midfield to release Shane Nti, but the forward failed to generate much power on his shot as he burst into the box with just Leonard to beat.

The game became stretched with 15 minutes to go as Ruth’s side threw players forward and Sunderland nearly scored their second as a result of the extra space when Proctor picked Nti’s pocket and powered a drive towards the top corner, but Jensen’s flying save denied the midfielder.

At the other end, Charlie Penman’s cleverly clipped pass found Mills in space inside the penalty area but his pull-back was flashed wide by Brett and then another goal against the run of play put the game beyond the home side’s reach with ten to go.

It was a goal of Albion’s own making when they failed to play out from the back with any success and Sunderland substitute Neill fired home from close range at the back post.

Oriola and Penman went close to halving the deficit in the closing stages but the Black Cats had nine lives and Albion were denied a goal – and any points – for their efforts.

Abion starting XI: Jensen, Tasker, Atom (Penman, 70’), Mackley (Lane, 46’), Barclay, Middleton (West, 65’), Oriola, Nti, Brett, Silsby (Belmont, 76’), Mills.