City climb U18 Premier League North table after triumph over Sunderland | OneFootball

Braces from Finlay Gorman and Matty Warhurst at the Academy of Light helped City play out a thrilling 5-2 win over Sunderland.

Gorman gave City an early lead with a low shot to pick up his first goal of the campaign.

And it was closely followed by a left-footed strike that flew into the top corner to double our advantage inside the opening 15 minutes.

A second half brace from Warhurst was followed by the hosts still showing their threat in front of goal with Marcus Neill and Jack Whittaker halving the gap near the end of the second half.

Divine Mukasa's late strike restored our three-goal lead and allowed City to breathe a sigh of relief shortly before the full-time whistle.

Our third successive league win, following triumphs over Nottingham Forest and Everton, means City climb to fourth and close the gap on the top three.

WHAT HAPPENED

A cold but sunny day in Sunderland was not going to stop City’s Under-18s from grabbing a third successive league win on Saturday morning.

With our hosts in fine form, four consecutive league wins, they were third, two spots above City heading into the fixture.

But Oliver Reiss’s side would not be deterred by the Black Cats and their confidence.

Warhurst almost gave City a very early lead with his effort whizzing just over the crossbar inside the opening minutes.

Then Gorman fired us ahead, with his first goal as an Under-18s player, in the 10th minute.

The midfielder was able to place his shot into the bottom left-hand corner after brilliant build-up play by Ryan McAidoo.

Three minutes after the restart, Gorman made it two but this time was set up by fellow midfielder Rhys Thomas who carried the ball brilliantly in midfield.

Four minutes after the second half began, Warhurst extended City’s lead, leaving the hosts frustrated and struggling to penetrate our back line.

And Warhurst would break through Sunderland's defence again, this time teed up by Reigan Heskey to bag his second, City's fourth, in the 63rd minute.

Sunderland forward Marcus Neill wiped away the chance for Reiss's team to keep a third successive clean sheet.

Neill and Whittaker's strikes meant the gap was quickly halved with 13 minutes left to play.

But Mukasa's late strike ruined any hope of Sunderland clawing back a point and topped off a five-star performance by City's Academy.

HOW WE LINED UP

Oliver Whatmuff was picked as City’s goalkeeper for the game and worked alongside a back four of Matty Henderson-Hall, Leke Drake, Kaden Braithwaite and Oliver Tevenan.

In midfield, captain Rhys Thomas was accompanied by Divine Mukasa and Finlay Gorman.

Matty Warhurst led City’s attacking line again with Reigan Heskey and Ryan McAidoo on either flank.

SUNDERLAND XI | Metcalf, Bell (Barker 86’), Lightfoot, Jones, Holcroft, Hunt, Chung, Struk (Leinard 67’), Neill, Whittaker, Geragusian (Dinsdale 79’)

SUBS | Cowan, Bowman.

CITY XI | Whatmuff, Henderson-Hall (Courtman 87’), Drake, Braithwaite (Noble 66’), Tevenan, Thomas, McAidoo, Gorman (Batty 66’), Warhurst (Fletcher 66’), Mukasa, Heskey.

SUBS | Griggs.

WHAT IT MEANS

City climb into third and close the gap on second-placed Sunderland after our victory over them this afternoon.

UP NEXT

Our attention now turns to cup football.

We welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the City Football Academy on Saturday 5 October, with kick-off scheduled for 11:00 (UK).

It's our second group game of the Under-18 Premier League Cup with our first result ending 2-2 at Norwich.

And the clash with Brighton will be available to watch live on CITY+.